


hungry heart

by brogurt



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: AU, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2017-01-19
Packaged: 2018-08-19 19:02:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 28,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8221552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brogurt/pseuds/brogurt
Summary: "Lay down your money and you play your part!"--It's the summer of 1981 in Newark. Ronald Reagan has recently taken office, Springsteen is playing on every radio and the streets of Jersey are hot and wet. Nicole Haught is a blue-collar construction worker putting long hours in for a man named Randy Nedley, just trying to make ends meet. Enemies are easily made and the appearance of a beautiful stranger tends to complicate everything.





	1. ‘cause you're a walking, talking reason to live

**Author's Note:**

> this fic basically comes out of me thinking that Nicole Haught would be a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. if you don't know his music, don't worry, it's referenced a lot but you don't really have to know what they're talking about. this fic is based on his 1980 album 'the river' which you should absolutely listen to.
> 
> six chapters and an epilogue!

_\--_

 

_i come from down in the valley,_

_where mister when you’re young_

_they bring you up to do like your daddy done_

 

\--

 

The air was so thick, it laid Nicole flat on her bed, heat pushing down like a slab of concrete. Her alarm sounded like police sirens and scared Nicole half to death every time it went off. Her mother had bought the crap machine last Christmas and Nicole was too polite to return it.

She reached for the snooze button but some asshole in the next room started banging on their shared wall.

“Turn that shit off! Christ!”

Nicole faltered and pulled the plug instead. Flipping back over in bed, she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and rubbed the sweat off on the sheets. This had been the hottest summer that she could remember, though practically every summer felt the same way.

Real rich of her friendly neighbor to be complaining about noise, she thought, he had a tendency for loud sex with what Nicole hoped weren’t hookers at any and all hours. She’d been kept up way too many nights by pornstar moaning to be yelled at today.

Nicole had snoozed herself through any available shower time so it seemed like deodorant was the plan for today. Pulling a sports bra and her thinnest button-up over her head, she headed to the bathroom.

Her one-bedroom had a tiny oven and a bathtub so she couldn’t really complain. In her price range, she’d rented plenty apartments without either; ones where you had to shower at a gym during their public hours and all your meals were eaten out or microwavable. Here at least, Nicole could fry an egg.

She splashed some water on her face before staring at her own reflection. The bags under her eyes were getting worse, making her look half dead. Nicole couldn’t remember the last decent night’s sleep she got. She wet her hands and ran them over her hair, flattening any sleepy curls. Most of the women she knew were all about going bigger, steaming and teasing them into poofy blonde afros. Nicole couldn’t be trying harder to keep everything small, like the boys weren’t hard enough on her.

Leaving a couple of buttons on her shirt undone, she cracked her last egg on the stovetop, watching it sizzle and mix with the butter in the pan.

Fuck the douche next door; she flipped her radio on, electric chords sliding through the morning air like the sun through her blinds.

 

\--

 

Dolls met her early in the trailer, holding a Nedley company paper cup in his hands.

“How can you drink that sludge everyday?” She gestured to the busted machine behind him. The coffeemaker had been around for as long as anyone could figure. Dolls brought the cup to his lips and downed it. Nicole raised her eyebrows.

“Third cup today.” His eyes gave away a grin, “Tastes like water by now.”

“Uh huh.” She said, “Guess I just haven’t built up your same immunity.”

“Just wait, once you’re past your first year, all coffee starts to taste the same.” He tossed the empty cup in the wastebasket, a perfect swish, and his hands shot up in the air like he was Magic Johnson.

“Think we’re gonna finish the basement today?” Nicole flipped through her copy of the Times; (picked up along with two Milky Way’s at the same convenient bodega) there was never any good news but Nicole read her paper religiously, a habit from her dad.

Dolls shrugged and Nicole sighed in response.

Now, Nicole liked Dolls plenty but he wasn’t much for pleasant conversation and the two descended into silence until the other men started arriving. Nicole could hear the hollering a block away; somehow, thirty-five working men all seemed to show up at once. Nicole folded up her paper and bit her bottom lip as Bobo was the first the slam the trailer door open. The man was huge and sure scared the hell out of Nicole. Her daddy always said that to work a crew, you gotta trust the men you’re working with, but the men Nedley hired didn’t always give her good reason to. He was mean and had a terrible nickname, an uncomfortable combination.

“You ever get tired of showing up early, Nicole?” She flicked her eyes over to Bobo who was pouring himself a cup, not even looking in her direction.

So it would start early today.

“I dunno,” She said, Dolls eyed her cautiously, “you ever get tired of being late?”

His eyes slitted but Bobo’s gaze was locked on the cup.

“Some of us got kids to get to school,” he growled, “not everybody can run wild all hours of the night.”

Nicole frowned at the implication, like there was anything loose or wild about the way she was living. Hell, _Robert_ probably spent far more nights a week in town than she did.

Dolls coughed to break the tension and Bobo turned back to his own corner as more workers piled inside the tiny trailer. Nedley made them all meet up every morning, get acquainted with the goals for the day and each other. It was a bit of a useless exercise considering most of the men here had been working for him five or six years. Nicole learned fast just how kind they took to newcomers; that is, not at all.

She pushed her boots into the crunchy shag of the floor, trying to make herself taller.

“Alright boys.” Nedley entered with his clipboard. Their manager was neither kindly nor dismissive. He was a bit like you’d always expect your boss to look; chubby and greying around the ears. Nicole had known him awhile, she remembered him as a younger man in the context of family photos hanging on her walls as kid.

Nedley walked right past Nicole. If their shared history made him sentimental, he didn’t let on.

“We have plenty of work set up for today.” His mustache wrinkled, “Foundationally, we gotta be out of the ground by this afternoon if we want to keep time.” Nicole felt eyes on her and turned her head slightly to face Bobo. He was staring like he did sometimes, no trace of anything in his eyes. Nicole swallowed and tried to focus on what Nedley was saying.

“Unfortunately, the bubbler is still out of commision for the time being…”

Moans erupted from the trailer, Nicole found her throat running dry just thinking about trying to make due without water for the third day this week.

“I bought a 24-pack of Poland Springs this morning, but once that’s gone, it’s gone.”

“Come on, Mr. Nedley.” One brave soul (Nicole thought his name might have been Vinny) shouted from the back, “How d’you expect us to work this?”

Nedley fingered his papers and coughed.

“I expect you to want your paychecks.”

 

\--

 

By 11:30, the sun was stinging their necks like wasp bites, Nicole’s hand kept slapping at nothing, desperate to keep the heat away. She and Dolls were both still digging out the foundation. Nicole knew she was strong and she knew she deserved this job, it’s what her dad has trained her for after all. This wasn’t work though, this was torture.

Dolls was silent as ever and even Nicole, who typically tried to pass the time with conversation, couldn’t do anything but focus her breathing and heave another twenty-five pounds of gravel out of the ditch.

 

\--

 

“Nicole, stay up a minute”

She felt disgusting, sweat soaked through her bones. She wanted nothing more than to feel hot water running down her shoulders but it wasn’t easy to refuse your boss much of anything. Nedley was sitting in his executive's folding chair, going over payments for the next month.

“Sir?”

“How you holding up out there?” Nedley’s eyes wandered around the site, most of men packing up their bags and trying to get home before the darkness hit. Even with the longer days, evening seemed to come in all at once. “A hard day today.”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

Nedley nodded, Nicole felt a curse on the edge of her lips. She knew he didn’t want her on this job. If he wasn’t honor-bound, she’d still be bumming around that autoplant, making pennies on the hour.

“I think the boys are really starting to take to you.”

Nicole held her face steady. She wasn’t sure if Nedley was blind or just plain stupid.

“Yes, sir.”

“I mean it.” He continued, “I know they’re busting your balls a little, but everyone here’s gone through the same. Don’t let it get to you.”

Nicole fidgeted.

“You’re a hard worker, Nicole.” He stood, “Just like your dad.”

She let her breath sink out, she wasn’t getting fired at least. Nedley and everyone else called her ‘Nicole’ around the site which always made her itch. Not that she didn’t like her name, but she didn’t like the way they said it.

Haught had always been _his_ title, Nicole heard it from everybody they ran into. Didn’t matter if it was the guy behind the counter at the deli or Nedley or the mayor himself; he was just Haught. When her teacher called role in class, Nicole would forget to raise her hand, untrained in response to her father’s name. So here she was; still just Nicole.

“Thank you, sir.”

Nedley’s eyes finally met hers and they seemed to glint, caught in a ray of the heavy-duty bulbs they used at the site.

“See you bright and early.”

 

\--

 

A shower later, Nicole had her headphones in. The night was cool and the air was so fresh her hair was dry by the time she reached Trumbull Street. That was still something she loved about chopping her hair off, the freedom to shower whenever she liked. Nicole’s mom had always wanted her to keep it lengthy, said it was prettier and didn’t make her face look so round.

After the divorce was finalized, her dad gave her the cut himself. It looked like shit but Nicole liked the way her neck felt cool in the sun.

Her music was turned up too loud but Nicole dug it that way. She wanted to hear every note.

_With a chance to make it good somehow, hey! What else can we do now?_

Newark Bay was by no means beautiful but there was serenity in it. Nicole liked the ocean, she liked the way it smelled and how it went on forever. She came down here maybe once a week, to decompress. When she and Evelyn were really little, they took a weekend trip to Cape Cod. Looking back on it, she wondered what tricks her parents had pulled to afford it. She had a clear memory of burying her fingers in the sand and bringing them up one by one, like she was some Godzilla erupting from the Earth. The sun wasn’t even too hot.

She bit into her protein bar. They tasted awful but the bodega by her apartment sold them to her in bulk, so she bought a lot. People moved all around her, like there was anywhere to be.

Nicole checked her watch, it was almost seven and the sun had mostly disappeared, leaving only the glowing clouds as a sign it’d ever been there at all. She could see New York across the river, everyone looking like they were having the time of their lives. Even from a distance, Nicole could see the dancing lights.

She leaned on a light post which flickered on impact. This fucking town. Turning her head towards the street, she caught someone staring at her.

A young woman was alone on a park bench facing the bay, maybe twenty feet away, her eyes locked on Nicole. It was so intense she almost doubled over.

As soon as their eyes met, the woman looked away, trying not to let embarrassment show on her face. Nicole felt blood rush into her own cheeks.

She was beautiful unlike any kind of beauty Nicole had seen on TV. Long, long brown hair, reaching down to her elbows and a delicate face. There was something sturdy in her as well, something toughened. She looked like a plate of china that had been dropped once but didn’t crack.

Nicole bit her lip and looked away from the girl, nervous she might turn back. The ends of her shirt were beginning to fray and she twisted one of the threads around her fingers til they started to turn purple.

She took a breath and looked back at the woman; there she was again, staring away. Nicole held her gaze and the woman followed suit. The gentle roar of the river seemed to hold in Nicole’s ears. She could barely hear her music.

She pulled her headphones off and let them fall around her neck. Their eyes held.

This is stupid.

Nicole took a step towards her and immediately bumped into someone trying to get by.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” The man rolled his eyes and moved past her without a word. Nicole looked after him for a second then turned her gaze back to the stranger. She was smiling now, sort of a bemused giggle. Nicole’s ears burned. She started to turn away but this woman’s eyes didn’t at all want her to go, they wanted pretty much the opposite.

Fuck it.

Nicole slowly made her way over to the park bench and took a seat on the other side. A small armrest split them apart which Nicole both resented and was very thankful for. Some degree of separation was probably appropriate for complete strangers.

The silence held for longer than was comfortable, both waiting for the other to say something.

“I like your haircut.” The stranger broke first.

Nicole could feel the woman looking at her again, her eyes were laser beams.

“I don’t know a lot of women who wear it like that.” Her voice was sweet and high, melodic without being sing-song. Nicole turned, her cheeks as red as her mop and felt a response catch between her teeth. The woman was even prettier up close. “You make it look… nice.”

Thank God she decided to take that shower.

“I’m Nicole,” She wasn’t sure if she should stick out her hand or if that was too formal. “Nicole Haught.”

A smile crept on the woman’s face and Nicole felt her heartbeat in her throat.

“Waverly Earp.”

Waverly Earp had a gallon of milk sitting beside her, wrapped in a grocery bag with bright red letters, telling the both of them to ‘HAVE A GREAT DAY!’.

“You thirsty, Waverly Earp?” Nicole gestured to the bag.  

She smiled wilder, much to Nicole’s relief.

“I was just going out for a minute and I got distracted by the sky.” She wrapped her fingers around the handle of the milk and absentmindedly started cooling her hands. “It’s… really something tonight.”

“Yeah.” Nicole was looking straight at her. “The sky, huh?”

Waverly turned red and bit her lip.  

“I’m sorry, I know it’s rude to stare.”

“Fine by me,” Nicole was grinning, “I don’t mind getting stared at if it’s you doing the staring.” Waverly was looking at her again, her eyes telling a very familiar story. She swallowed.

“You just looked like something out of a movie.” Her throat was dry. “I mean, the light and the way the water was and everything. It was-”

“Hard to look away?” Nicole’s eyes trailed up and down Waverly’s body.

Her dress was patterned with red flowers, a little worse for wear around the collars but pretty enough. With Waverly in it though, she looked like some high end mannequin at one of the stores across the river. On a chain around her neck, three metal lilies bunched near her collarbones.

Waverly started to feel the heat from Nicole’s eyes and scratched at her thumb.

“Yeah.” Her voice crinkled like cellophane. The silence came back and they stared at each other, unsure of what to look for.

“Is it weird to say I feel like we’ve met before?” Nicole asked.

Waverly’s eyes widened a little and she shook her head.

“I’d remember meeting you.”

The sky was getting darker and her watch beeped in the hour. Nicole flinched, fumbling for the button making Waverly laugh all over again.

“You’re nervous?” She asked.

Nicole stared at her, incredulous.

“No.”

Waverly couldn’t help but see through her.

“You shouldn’t be nervous, Nicole.”

Nicole opened her mouth to protest but found she had nothing to say. Waverly pointed to the headphones wrapped around her neck.

“Who’re you listening to?”

Nicole smiled.

“The Boss.”

Waverly nodded.

“I guess that was a stupid question.” Nicole squinted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Waverly scanned her up and down, the jeans and ratty t-shirt giving Nicole away the moment she walked in a room.

“You just radiate a certain vibe is all.” Waverly smiled sweetly and Nicole rolled her eyes, playing into her game.

“My mom never liked rock and roll.” Nicole ran her fingers through her hair, the wind off the bay mussing it gently. “Call me a rebel.”

“I sure would.”

Nicole blushed again which Waverly noted.

“Well, I don’t know him too well...” Waverly admitted, “Just what they play on the radio sometimes.”

Nicole’s mouth fell open and Waverly rolled her eyes in protest.

“Come on, don’t be like that.”

“You’re from _Newark_ ,” She was acting like Waverly had just shot her dog, “And you haven’t listened to _Bruce Springsteen_?”

Waverly’s hands went up in the air.

“Much! I haven’t listened to him much, thank you!”

“Here.” Nicole shoved the receivers in Waverly’s hands. “You gotta try it.”

“Nicole, you really-”

She hushed her and Waverly smiled in defeat, flipping the wire over her head before Nicole hit the play button. Waverly jumped as the music screeched through the cheap speakers. She yanked them down and glared at Nicole who had burst out laughing.

“Fuck you.”

Nicole was trying very hard to apologize and control her wheezing simultaneously.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Here, I’m turning it down. I’m sorry, Waverly.” Waverly gave her a hairy eyeball and slowly put the headphones back on. Nicole hit play again.

Nicole could still hear what song it was, even muffled by the sounds of the water and the hundreds of people passing around them. Waverly had her hands on the frames, pressing them tighter and tighter against the sides of her face. Her expression was blank but Nicole felt the vibrations of her toes tapping against the bench. Waverly’s eyes closed and her body knocked back and forth a little, feeling out the drumbeat of the song.

Fuck, she was so damn beautiful, Nicole hated herself for recognizing the gnawing she felt in her stomach. Just what she needed, more complications. After a minute, Waverly slid the headphones down slowly, like she could feel all the time they’d spent on Nicole.

“It’s… really good.” She offered lamely, but Nicole took it.

“Welcome to the club.”

Waverly watched Nicole wrap the wires up again and stuff them in her pocket, her fingernails short and scraped. She guessed Nicole must work with her hands.

“So, what’s a girl like you doing out with a gallon of milk at this time of night?”

Waverly laughed and Nicole came closer.

“It’s not a very interesting story.”

Nicole shook her head,

“I doubt it.”

Waverly sighed and relented, “Well, you see Champ, oh that’s my husband,” She paused and Nicole tried to keep her face blank. Of course, she had a husband, this is the _real world_ Nicole, remember? Her nails started digging into her palm. “He only eats cereal, I swear he’s just like a little kid. And we were out of milk back at our place _and_ at the 7/11 down the street so I walked a couple blocks over.” She was rambling, sweetly. “And then, I just wanted to be alone a bit, you know, I never get to walk on my own anymore.”

“No?” Nicole’s head was swimming with names and tidbits, Waverly was talking like she’d been waiting her whole life to tell someone about her husband’s breakfast habits.

“No.” Waverly repeated, pushing hair out of her face, “It’s always about the baby. I’m doing all these stroller routes with the other moms; Champ’s work buddies and their wives."

“Uh-huh.” Nicole said, “Sounds like your favorite time of day?” Waverly rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Oh God, Nicole. You should hear the way these women talk.” She shook her head, “It’s amazing they’re allowed to be around their _own_ kids. Half of them show up cokey and the others are desperate to get in on the action, it’s… it’s sad.” A thought passed through her head and she stopped, bringing her hands together. “I really don’t know why I’m telling you any of this.”

“I don’t know either, but you don’t have to stop.” Nicole was teasing but Waverly stayed serious. She brought her face closer to Nicole’s, warm breath brushing against her cheeks.

“I do feel like I know you.”

Nicole nodded. “Like in a past life or something.”

Waverly laughed.

“You believe in that stuff?”

Nicole shrugged, turning back out to the water.

“I dunno, I guess I don’t believe in much of anything.” Waverly moved towards her.

“God?”

Nicole didn’t know how to respond.

“You don’t have to answer.”

Nicole smiled and let the question drift away.

“I used to go to church, then my dad died.”

Waverly nodded and touched Nicole’s hand through the gap in the armrest. Her whole body lit up like she was being electrocuted. And, unless she was imagining things, she felt Waverly’s fingers tremble as they made contact. They looked at each other again.

This is dangerous.

“I should-”

“I have to be-

“Going.”

“Yes.”

“Right.”

They couldn’t help but smile at each other. It was like she knew what Waverly was going to say before she said it, and that was a terrifying feeling.

Waverly got up slowly. She held the milk in one hand, making her steps lopsided.

“Waverly!” Nicole’s voice surprised herself.

Waverly turned.

“Uh…” Nicole almost forgot what she had to say, “Your baby, what’s his name?”

Waverly face broke into a smile so wide she’d give the sun a run for it’s money.

“ _Her_ name is Winnie.” She took one step back towards Nicole, “For Winnifred.”

“Winnie.” Nicole repeated, caught in Waverly’s smile.

Waverly nodded and took a breath.

“I…”

She shook herself of whatever she’d wanted to say, choosing something easier.

“It was very nice to meet you, Nicole Haught.”

Waverly turned around and walked in the same direction Nicole had come from.

“Yeah, very nice, Waverly Earp.”

 

\--

 

Waverly was a sensible woman, well, as sensible as an Earp could be. When they were kids, she would always admit to the messes that Wynonna or Willa had made, only to stop the fighting. She was all about making the logical choice, that was after all why she’d married Champ.

And love, of course. Of course.

He snored in his sleep. It was something endearing in high school that had turned into something grating in real life. Waverly was sitting up, fingers flipping over the pages of her most-recent book without really reading. Her mind was wandering; Nicole Haught made it very difficult to focus to Stephen King. Waverly sighed and pressed her fingers to her temples. The migraines had been particularly cruel lately. Every time their doctor prescribed a new pill, she’d be totally immune within the next month, and the screaming baby didn’t help with the pain.

As if on cue, Waverly heard a few small noises over the monitor. She looked at Champ, dead weight. Even if he had been up, she knew he would have just shook her slightly and mentioned having a big day at work tomorrow.

Winnie’s room was yellow, a sweet pale color that made Waverly think of Easter.

“Oh honey, honey, honey.”

Her daughter was whimpering as Waverly picked her out of the crib, no dirty diaper which meant zero chance of quick fix. Bobbing her up and down, Waverly whispered little sayings into her ears, nonsense phrases. It was a technique Champ’s mother had recommended when Waverly was sucking up any and all information about motherhood she could get her hands on.

After all, she didn’t have anyone to receive all that maternal advice from.

Lyrics from earlier drifted into her mind and she found herself singing them softly. Winnie loved to hear singing and though she usually stuck to hymns and Elvis, Nicole’s music was stuck on her. She hummed the sections she forgot the words to and Winnie slowly quieted, loosening her iron grip around her mama’s finger.

Waverly smiled.

“Thanks Nicole.” She whispered to the silent room.

 

\--

 

“What’s got you all jacked up?”

Dolls watched her with a detached amusement and Nicole tightened her smile.

“Beautiful day.” She said, not looking up from her paper. Dolls squinted.

“If you like heat stroke I guess.”

 

\--

 

Today would be less backbreaking, partially because Nicole got to be in charge one of the transport cranes. The structure of the building was going up and the steel frames needed to be moved from the loading dock and then placed on different floor levels as the ground crew bolted and smelted them into place.

For once it seemed, Nedley was letting her off the ground.

At the announcement, some of her crew bit their cheeks in resentment. Del Rey’s eyes flared but he said nothing. Nicole didn’t like getting treated specially; unfair advantage on account of her situation would only lead Bobo’s crew to hate her more but it was nice to get some acknowledgement that she was at least competent.

The machine was standard, only slightly larger than any kind she’d worked on before. Dolls was willing to spot her on the first job even though they both knew she didn’t need it.

“If it gets Nedley off your back…”

Nicole nodded and tightened her helmet, climbing up inside the box. These rigs could make you feel claustrophobic if you didn’t know how to use them. Nicole remembered the first time her dad let her watch him operate the cranes; as mundane as it was to him, she was spellbound by the turning gears and shifts, the power of the swinging chains. Her dad had never looked taller. She flipped the engine on and Fish, who’d always been kind enough to Nicole, looped the framework into place. Nicole felt the ugly way the men were watching her, fingers shaking. Two other cranes starting up the same way she was but no one was staring at them. Of course, everyone wasn’t waiting for _them_ to fuck it up.

Dolls gave her the all clear and she pulled up.

The metal shot off the ground.

“Shit.” Nicole muttered under her breath as she slowed the ascent. The machine was faulty, she could tell that. The lever controlling the crane must have been seriously oversensitive. Nicole frowned, she could already see Bobo’s face, hear his obnoxious chuckle. She steadied her hands and tried to tune her nervous energy out. It was messing with her in the worst way.

“You good in there, Nic?” Dolls yelled over the roar of the engine.

She gave a thumbs up out her window and continued over, the ground crew following and catching the first frame, snapping it into location. She released the bar and grinned. Not too bad, huh Bobo? She caught his eye from across the lot; his face as unreadable as ever.

Dolls motioned her back over and she shifted gears. The real heat of the day had started and Nicole could see the sheen of sweat covering her friend’s face. She pushed her sleeves up and Fish attached the next bar.

The work took all day; it was near four by the time they got to the last of the first story. Nicole had taken off her overshirt, ruined by the sweat and dirt, and was ticking like a well-oiled clock. Once she worked her way around the sensitivity issue, Nicole could really do her job. She felt threads of respect starting to trickle out of some of the men who’d refused to take to her seriously; even Bobo appeared to be leaving her alone. Nicole was feeling like she hadn’t for awhile, like she did back when she and her dad used to work together.

She got the signal from Fish for the third-to-last bar and lifted up, tracking how much force it took and storing it away for Nedley’s notes.

A glint of something caught Nicole’s eye. She turned just slightly, looking for the source.

Oh hell.

“Waverly?”

There she was, stopped on the sidewalk, a stroller just in front of her. The semi-stranger had her hair pulled up into a bun, a sweet messy thing. They were split by maybe 100 feet.Waverly was looking at her through a tear in the makeshift fence they put up to keep civilians out of the danger zones. Her eyes were glazed over, like she’d been there for hours, watching Nicole work. 

How did she find me here?

Nicole tried to turn her attention on the job, but her mind was stuck on Waverly as she lifted the log into the air, only flexing a _little_ bit. She grinned, as long as the girl was watching, she wouldn’t mind putting on a show. She drove across the site before moving to drop the bar in the first-floor reserve.

She turned to face Waverly again, hoping for a reaction and Nicole felt her hands brush against the lever.  

The machine bucked and slammed the iron bar sideways, catching Fish in the ribs and tossing him twenty feet across the site. Nicole’s focus shot back.

Fuck.

“ _HOLD!_ ” Someone called out.

Nicole shut the engine off, jerking the frame back over to the pile. She could feel her panic settle on her shoulders. She looked back for Waverly but the woman was gone.

Jesus Christ, what had she done?

A whole crowd of people were gathering around Fish, crumpled near a pile of gravel. She hopped off the rig and ran over, pushing past the circle and kneeling beside him. She was no doctor but a blow like that could easily put a man away. She desperately searched for a pulse on him; it was there but faint as all hell.

“He’s out, he’s out cold!” Someone said near her. “Call an ambulance!”

“What the hell happened?”

Nedley’s voice shook Nicole, choked with nervous fury. Nicole turned to him, standing up straight as she could.

“It was my fault, sir.”

Nicole wasn’t a liar, never had been. It ran contrary to what she’d seen growing up. All the lies that her parent’s told each other to stay together, every one came back to hurt their family in the end. It was a sick game and Nicole wouldn’t let herself play.

“There’s a phone in my office. Get him to University on Bergen.” Nedley barked, no one moved. “Move!”

The men dispersed, Dolls kneeling where Nicole had been.

“You come with me.”

Nicole nodded, catching one last look at Bobo’s face as she passed the group.

Sonova was actually smiling.

 

\--

 

The room was quiet. Nicole wiped her forehead and Nedley drummed his fingers on the fake wood of the desk.

“Are you trying to force my hand?”

Nicole’s eyes narrowed.

“Sir?”

“You know what they need?” Nedley raised his voice suddenly, pointing out the dirty window of the trailer. “Well, do you?”

Nicole shook her head and Nedley held his focus.

“One. Good. Reason.” He paused, “One good reason for me to fire you; they’ve been looking for it since day one.” Nicole looked at the floor, a roach was making it’s way from under the desk, half flattened by something or other. “You trying to give it to them?”

“It was a mistake, sir, I…” Nicole trailed off. “There was a broken lever in the rig, I was working around it fine but…”

Nedley stared at her and sighed.

“Your daddy was the best man we had for twenty years.” Nicole had heard those words repeated so many times she could probably recite them from memory. “And I know he trained you well.” Nedley pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and twirled it around his hands. “That doesn’t mean I won’t do what’s best for my team.” He offered Nicole a smoke and she shook her head.

“I understand.”

Nedley nodded.

“I know you do.” He sat back and lit up. “I’m keeping you on, but please Nicole,” He took a long drag. “Don’t give them another chance.” Nicole looked her boss in the eyes; a smart man Randy Nedley may not have been, but a good man he certainly was.

Nicole smelled like smoke as she stepped back outside. Fish was on a stretcher, being loaded into a flashing ambulance.

“Still with us?” Dolls came up behind her.

“For now.” She muttered.

 

\--

 

Her apartment seemed smaller than usual.

Nicole’s fist was shaking, covered in bits of plaster and blood. A lovely new hole now sat in her wall, right above the radiator. Who even knew what that was gonna cost to fix.

She was waiting to hear from Dolls, he said he’d call when there was any news from the hospital about Fish. Nicole paced, fury building up within her again.

The knock came suddenly.

“Someone on the phone for you, Ms. Haught.” Her landlord said from the other side, Nicole swung the door open and followed him quickly down to the mainline in the lobby. She kept meaning to get a real phone for herself but so far, nothing had happened.

“Dolls?” She asked, holding the receiver to her ear.

“Uh…” A higher voice came through, “Is this Nicole?”

“Waverly.” Nicole said, was this girl some kind of detective? “How’d you get this number?”

The voice on the other end stalled a minute.

“I… called the company you work for.” She sounded like she’d been crying, “I know that's weird, but,” She took a breath. “Is he alright? The man?”

“You saw that?” Nicole asked, despair dropping to the pit of her stomach. “We don’t know yet. I hit him pretty hard.”

There was silence and then Waverly came through again.

“I live on 45 East Florida.”

Nicole blinked.

“You should come over.”

 

\--

 

Nicole put on a nicer pair of jeans and slipped out into the night.

 

\--

 

It was a nice, little town-house, something like the one Nicole had grown up in. Nicole missed houses and always hoped she’d find herself back in one someday.

Waverly was in the kitchen getting her a drink and Nicole took the moment to look at some of the photos they had hanging on the walls. There were a lot of the little girl, stamped with orange dates all from the past year and a half. She was bright and blonde but shared the same dark eyes as her mother. Nicole smiled at one from last Christmas, a red bow decorating the top of Waverly’s head, Winnie in her arms.

“She’s precious.” Nicole called out.

Waverly walked back into the living room, a beer, a bottle of pills and a glass of lemon water in her hands.  

“I wish you could meet her.” Waverly’s eyes glowed. “She’s colic-y, you know, so getting her down to sleep at all is a blessing, otherwise I’d wake her.” Nicole took the drink and lifted it slowly to her lips. She didn’t know at all, she’d never been around babies.

“I’m sure I will.”

Waverly nodded and her face darkened.

“You…” She paused, “They didn’t fire you, did they?”

Nicole sighed and walked towards the coffee table, setting her drink down.

“May I?”

Waverly smiled softly, amused by this construction worker's manners.

“Of course.”

Nicole eased herself onto the couch, knuckles still burning from earlier.

“I’ve got a job for now.”

Waverly let out a breath.

“Thank God.” She sat across from Nicole, putting two pills in her mouth and washing them down. “I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I’d… well,” She trailed off before regaining her focus. “I wasn’t following you or anything, I swear. I was just going down to the bank and,” She motioned to Nicole. “there you were.” Waverly shook her head. “I couldn’t believe it.”

“Me neither.” Nicole felt the weight lift off the room a bit. She put her hand on Waverly’s who inhaled under the touch. “It’s not your fault, what happened, trust me.”

Waverly swallowed, tears settling in her eyes.

“People get hurt a lot, huh, in your line of work?” Waverly asked, a touch of worry coloring her words.

Nicole nodded.

“Not me though.”

Waverly broke into a smile, hands clasping together.

“I guess that was just my luck.”

Nicole grinned back at her, rediscovering their rhythm from last night.

“I guess so.”

Waverly took another sip from her glass and took Nicole Haught in. Her face was still slightly greasy from the work day and her hair a little frazzled from the walk over. Part of Waverly wanted very badly to smooth it down, feel her fingers through those red strands. Waverly grew warm just thinking about it and licked her lips. That line of thinking, _those_ kinds of thoughts had been harassing her all day. They scared her and did something else entirely to her.

Nicole, of course, felt the way Waverly was staring at her.

Straight, my ass,

 _but_ married.

Nicole got up again and looked for a sign of the man of the house. Champ, she remembered from last night. There was a full family portrait on top of the television, Nicole picked it up and felt Waverly at her shoulder. There was grass everywhere and Champ had Waverly bundled up in his arms, Winnie between them. They looked like the perfect all-American family.

Champ was blonde, tall and broad, he had a bit of a baby’s face but also a smile that rang out even though the picture frame. No wonder Winnie was so gorgeous.

“That’s the three of us.” Waverly said, sunshine in her voice. She held a lot of pride in her house, her family, Nicole could hear it. “From last summer. A business partner held this big retreat up in Vermont, a bunch of families got invited.”

Nicole nodded.

“You look beautiful.” She said before realizing it.

Waverly froze and Nicole started stuttering.

“Both of you do, and Winnie.” She cleared her throat and turned to face Waverly, offering her the frame.

“Thank you, Nicole.” Her voice was restrained but a knowing grin played on her lips. She set the picture back in it’s home, brushing a few flakes of dust off with her fingertips. Waverly took a breath. “Are you married?”

“What?”

Waverly raised her eyebrows.

“Do you have a husband?”

Nicole laughed a little, recovering from the shock. Waverly had seemed smart enough to guess, one thing Nicole had never been called before was subtle.

“I’m not really the marrying type.”

Waverly bit her lip, hopefully picking up on the implication.

“I mean, I think it’s great and all,” Nicole rambled, “just not for me.”

Waverly thought it over.

“It’s a shame though,” She finally said, “I bet you’d look great in a dress.”

Nicole’s cheeks turned pink.

“My mother certainly agrees with you.” Waverly laughed. Nicole could go the rest of her damn life hearing that laugh everyday.

“Does she live in the city?”

Nicole shook her head. “Seattle actually, with my step-dad. I don’t see her much.” She grimaced, “Messy divorce, my mom got my sister and my dad got me.”

Waverly got quiet again.

In the silence, Nicole could hear a baby monitor, somewhere in the background. She had always been scared of babies, something about them just freaking her out. A whole human life, thousands of potentials, it was enough pressure to make you scream. Strangely enough though, she found herself really wanting to meet Winnie.

“Are you a homosexual?”

Nicole snapped her head back to Waverly, who was sitting back on the couch and staring at her again.

“Uh.”

“I’m sorry, that was…” Waverly searched for a word, “bad, wasn’t it?”

Nicole scratched at her neck.

“What I meant was, if you are, that’s okay with me.” Waverly said awkwardly. Silence filled the room before Nicole started cackling. Waverly stared at her with wide eyes. “I’m serious, Nicole!

“Oh, I’m glad.” Nicole wiped her eyes, “Good to know I have your  _permission_.”

Waverly fumed. “That’s not what I meant.” She said, indignant.

“I know what you meant, Waverly.” Nicole said, Waverly perked up a little.

“So, you are then?”

Nicole eyed her suspiciously.

“What do you care for?”

Waverly turned red and opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the sound of a key turning. Waverly stood up, facing the door where Nicole had been let in an hour before.

The baby-faced man from the pictures stepped through the doorway. He was wearing a loosely tucked white shirt and brown shoes that had lost their shine. Champ stopped as soon as Nicole came into his line of sight.

“Who’s this?” He pointed.

“Champ, this is Nicole Haught, she’s, uh, a friend.” She pulled Nicole across the room, “Nicole, Champ Hardy, my husband.”

Champ’s handshake was a little too firm, Nicole grimaced as she felt her knuckles crack. Those might be broken. He smiled a very false-looking smile.  

“Nice to meet you.” He turned towards Waverly. “Dinner?”

“In the oven!” Waverly ran off into the other room, pulling on oven mitts and taking some steaming tray out. Nicole couldn’t help but notice how different Waverly seemed around Champ; all smiles, like a waitress. Nicole shook her head. Best not to get bogged down in assumptions before she even got to know the guy. After all, Waverly married him, he couldn’t be _all_ bad.

“Is she staying?” Champ pulled off his tie, throwing it over the arm of the sofa. His gaze was locked on Nicole, scanning her up and down.

“I should go actually.” Champ was making her very nervous, she wondered if it was intentional.

Waverly reappeared.

“Really? There’s more than enough.”

Nicole shook her head, even though the smell emanating from Waverly’s kitchen was divine, she could tell dinner with Champ might go less than swell.

“Some other time.” She walked past Champ, stopping for a moment at the doorway. “Say, I’ll give you a call when I hear from the hospital.”

Waverly nodded, grabbing a scrap of newspaper and scribbling her number down.

“I’d like that.”

Nicole tucked the sheet in her pocket and took another look at Champ, his eyes dense.

“Nice to meet you, Champ.” She turned back to Waverly, “I’ll… see you around.”

The air on the street was somehow hotter than before.

 

\--

 

Later that night, Waverly realized she'd forgotten to ask for the name of the song.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah, i keep writing Champ and he keeps being a huge dick! i hope you enjoyed, i love writing these characters and this AU is so much fun to play around in.
> 
> i'll be trying to update every week or so.  
> please leave a comment if you can, it means the world.


	2. you can't forsake the ties that bind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we go! this one was a toughie to write but i really like how it's turned out and i hope you will too! there's a lot of religious talk in this one so if that stuff really bothers you, this might not be the best fic to read.
> 
> enjoy!

\--

 

Nicole drummed her toes on the linoleum floor, bottle floating from hand to hand. She’d been waiting for forty minutes but for some reason the nurses seemed to be calling up every name except her own. She chewed her lip, reading the whiskey label for the third time.

The bottle was neither expensive nor cheap, falling somewhere in that appropriate ‘I almost killed you’ range of apology presents. It wasn't enough but Nicole didn’t have the extra cash to spend, especially since she was on thin ice with Nedley. She almost never drank whiskey so Nicole had very little clue if the booze was any good at all. Fish would have to tell her.

Nicole wondered what her dad would think of the mess she’d gotten herself into; sometimes it felt like a joke he might tell, some possibly-true story about the idiot who’d slammed a guy with 200 pounds of iron ‘cause she got distracted by a pretty girl. Fish was a solid worker, if a bit skinny for the job. Nicole didn’t know much about his personal life except that he wasn’t married and he had a hound dog named Phillip he sometimes brought around. He’d join Dolls and Nicole on a smoke break and laugh along at their jokes. He was one of Bobo’s guys, sure, but certainly one that tolerated Nicole. She wrinkled her nose.

“Nicole Haught?”

She swallowed.

Here goes something.

 

\--

 

“Well, I’ll be damned.”

She smiled a pained smile, holding the bottle behind her back. He didn’t look great. His eyes were sunk deep, his beard overgrown and mangy. Nicole could smell blood even though the floor seemed spotless.

His voice came out in sad waves like he could barely catch his breath.

“I hope you’re not holding any large-grade machinery back there.”

She laughed and felt the bottle slip a little.

“To ease your pain.”

She held it out to him and an arm appeared from behind the mess of cloth and plaster. She tried to read his expression as his eyes glanced across the whiskey, turning it over in his hand. His mouth twitched up a little which Nicole was going to take as a thank you.

“Just what I needed.” He wheezed.

“It’s the least I could do.”

Fish’s eyes were springy, jumping back and forth from place to place. Nicole wondered if she should say something else. Anything.

“I’m sorry.”

Fish looked away.

“They’re letting me out in a couple days.” Nicole brightened a little, maybe he looked worse than he was. “Don’t feel like you ruined my life or anything, cause you didn’t.” Nicole nodded and took a step forward.

“Still,” Nicole started, “it was my fault. I fucked up; that’s on me.”

Fish nodded gently.

“Maybe a little.” He cracked a smile, his teeth all looked a little crooked. Nicole couldn’t remember if they were like that before the accident or not. He sighed, his breath whistling. “Bobo came by this morning.”

“Oh yeah?”

“He’s not happy.”

“Oh.”

Nicole scratched at the back of her head. Of course Bobo wasn’t gonna let her off as easy.

“Now I’m telling you ‘cause I think you’re a good worker and you don’t deserve to get messed up by him and his boys.” It was more than a little painful to listen to him talk, Nicole tried to maintain eye-contact but the sight of what she’d done made her feel sick. “Now I like Bobo. I know he can be… intense, but he’s done a lot for this neighborhood. And a lot for me.” His eyes narrowed. “But what I wanna tell you is that Bobo’s got friends in interesting places. I don’t know where exactly, but they’re there.”

Nicole nodded, processing.

“What kinda friends?” Nicole asked, stepping towards Fish.

“Friends who don’t have any problems making people disappear.”

Nicole’s blood ran a little cold. It wasn’t like there was any secret about the gangs that ran around the city, intercepting shipments of cigarettes and transporting coke all over town. They were dangerous friends to have.

“So, it wouldn’t be unwise to play it safe the next couple of weeks.”

Nicole nodded.

“Thanks Fish.”

"No problem."

A silence fell suddenly and Nicole realized that they’d never shared a room alone before, much less under circumstances like this one. They stared at each other, Fish moving his eyes around strangely. Nicole felt awkward; he wasn’t really a friend, just some guy Nicole worked with. Only now he was some guy Nicole had nearly killed while working.

She should probably just leave.

“Do you wanna go out sometime?”

Nicole looked back at Fish, bewildered.

“What?”

Fish had a lot of fear in his big, glassy eyes, she suddenly remembered where he got the nickname from. Oh Jesus, he had misinterpreted this whole damn situation. Nicole’s fingers twisted around the tails of her shirt.

She opened her mouth and nothing came out. Fish kept going.

“I just… I know you don’t have a husband or a boyfriend or anything and I’ve always thought you were gorgeous and smart and funny and tough. So, I guess…” He trailed off, “I thought I’d try my luck.”

Sirens were going off in Nicole’s head.

“So what do you think?”

Jesus.

“After I get out of here, we could grab a drink or something? Dinner?”

“I should go.”

Fish’s voice caught in his throat, choking on nothing. His eyes darkened slightly, full of a sorrow and annoyance that she’d never seen in him before. Nicole looked at the ground. It wasn't like she’d never rejected guys; there were always idiots who couldn’t get the memo that she wasn’t interested. Hell, most of her high school years were filled with assholes like that

This was different though, of course. She _owed_ Fish. Nicole wasn’t exactly sure it was she owed but from the way he was talking, it wasn’t anything she was willing to give.

“Nicole-” He started, Nicole cutting him off before he could finish.

“Listen,” She said, “I think you’re a really great guy, Fish. And I’m so damn sorry for what happened.” His eyes were foggy. “But I’m not looking for dates right now. I’m okay on my own.” A nurse opened the door, coming in with a tray of medicine. “I’m sorry.”

“Sir, I’m gonna need you to give the patient time to rest.” Nicole turned, furrowing her brow. “Oh, ma’am! I’m sorry.” She rolled her eyes.

“It’s fine.” Nicole grumbled as she stepped towards the door, taking one last look at Fish before she left. He stared at her, a tight frown on his lips. She turned back, swallowing.

So much for that.

Nicole felt something burning in her stomach, she’d been mistaken for a guy before but it still stung. Her knuckles were swollen from the other day, but Nicole felt like punching the wall again.

This kind of bullshit always seemed to happen to her. She _liked_ Fish, she thought he was a good guy, a friend. Turns out he was just looking for a fucking hookup.

Damn it.

Evelyn used to give her all kinds of advice on guys, she was older and had more experience and felt like it was her sisterly duty to pass on wisdom. The tokens ranged from hair and makeup to clothes to ‘how to be flirted with’ without seeming deviant. Nicole nodded and took it all in, she even had a notebook full of the tidbits. After the divorce and several important realizations, Nicole had found the thing and laughed terribly before deciding to drown it off the Bay Bridge. The book floated, much to her disappointment. Her dad never had anything to say about boys; only that her mother would go on a rampage if she ever got pregnant before getting hitched. Nicole told him flatly that he had nothing to worry about and her dad had chuckled, possibly understanding everything. She never told him, she never found the right time. And when things got messy at work, it only seemed like a distraction. Nicole imagined he would have been fine; he usually was.

Nicole was suddenly overwhelmed with how long it’d been.

She wanted to see her dad.

 

\--

 

Waverly was shaking terribly, the confessional was rattling slightly like the nails were about fly off and the walls fall out.

“Waverly, child, there is no need be afraid.” Father’s voice came through the grate and Waverly felt her breath stabilize a bit. She’d come to this booth hundreds of times with hundreds of sins yet Waverly had never felt like this before. Maybe this sin was less forgivable than others. “The absolution of God cleanses us all."

“Right.” Waverly squeaked out.

“How long has it been since your last confession?”

“Three days.”

There was a long sigh.

“Of all the women in this congregation, Mrs. Earp,” He started gently, “I’m sure you are the least in need of such frequent forgiveness.”

“Father, this one is… really terrible.” Her throat felt dry and sickly. Waverly hadn’t been sleeping much since Nicole had come over. She was having dreams that left her feeling guilty and, more unfortunately, bothered. Every night this past week she’d had some fantasy about that damn _-pardon-_ construction worker and it felt awful. Waverly wasn’t a perfect Christian, she knew that, but there were some things that went without saying. And thinking about a woman… _that way_ was one of them. “I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t.”

He took a breath and relented.

“What is your confession, child?”

Waverly took a breath and realized she had no idea what she wanted to say.

“I…”

Waverly’s daddy had never been one for going to church, he preferred to stay out late on Saturday nights and not wake up until Sunday afternoon. He believed in Jesus, sure. He thought that God was screwing them all over in some way, but Waverly’s momma had been the one. Every Sunday, she got all three Earp sisters dressed in sweet little dresses, whatever they could afford at the time, and marched them together over to the big chapel a few blocks from the house. Willa and Wynonna had fussed over their outfits and complained about how early it was but Waverly was astonished. The beauty of everything wrapped her up and held her firmly, refusing to let go. Her sisters hadn’t kept on once momma died, but Waverly felt like every time she sat in down in those seats and closed her eyes, she could feel her watching from the next pew over.

It was childish and Wynonna let her know that everytime she came to visit, but church meant something, so she went.

“I’ve been having impure thoughts,” Waverly finally decided on. It was vague yet legitimate, perfect. “about someone outside of my marriage.”

“And have you acted on these thoughts?”

“No! No.” Waverly shook her head, staring at the blank wood in front of her. “No.” Father waited a few seconds longer, seeing if she would change her answer, then carried on.

“God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Waverly sat back in the coldness of her wooden chair. She guessed the seats weren’t really supposed to feel comfortable in here. If you were in the confessional, you shouldn’t be feeling comfortable.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”

Waverly crossed herself and felt the word, ‘Amen’ escape her lips.

“Mrs. Earp?”

Waverly leaned forwards.

“Yes, Father?”

“I know temptation is hard to resist,” He started, his voice thick, “but the rewards for doing so are endless. Focus on what you do have; your husband; your child; your church.” Waverly was nodding, her stomach twisting up again. “This life is temporary, what comes next is eternal.”

“Thank you Father.” Waverly felt a tear threatening to quell on her cheeks and wiped it away before it could. “I know.”

This life was worth something though, wasn’t it?

She wondered if Nicole really didn’t believe in anything. That seemed so hopeless to her; why do anything at all if there was nothing worth hoping towards?

Waverly shook herself. She was thinking about Nicole during her own confession for thinking about Nicole. Damn it. _-Pardon-._

She stepped out of the booth, brushing herself clean of the dust and turned towards the door, she had to pick up Winnie before running to the store.

“Waverly?”

Waverly spun and found herself face to face with Nicole Haught. She sputtered and shot back, not believing her senses.

“Nicole?”

Nicole smirked at her affect (in a _church_ , for pete’s sake), and Waverly flushed red.

There was a silent moment. If this was some kind of test of temptation, Waverly was absolutely failing.

“I didn’t know you went to this church.” Nicole finally said, taking a step towards her, making up the distance they’d lost in Waverly’s surprise.

“I didn’t know you believed in God.” Waverly gained her voice back.

Nicole shrugged.

“I, uh, I don’t.” Nicole looked around, taking in the ornaments, “But I wanted to talk to my dad, or pray to him, or whatever”

Waverly nodded.

“What are you doing here?”

Waverly’s throat tightened.

“Oh! Well… I was just… Helping out for this week’s sunday school! I’m a volunteer actually. I volunteer all the time, I’m pretty much always here!” Waverly laughed awkwardly and felt Nicole staring at her, amused. She bit her lip, _that_ certainly sounded convincing.  

“Uh huh.” Nicole said slowly.

Remember Waverly; fighting temptation.

“And I just finished up, so I should be going really.” Waverly finished quickly and tried to push past Nicole but the taller woman grabbed onto her arm. Waverly hands curled at the contact, Nicole’s hands were soft and strong and her touch was warm. That electric shock was back, like Nicole could tap directly into her blood and feel her secrets.

“Waverly,” Nicole said, unprepared to finish the sentence. “I…uh…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t really know how to…”

“Pray?” Waverly’s voice was breathy and she noticed how close their bodies were.

Nicole nodded and Waverly’s mouth twitched up into a smile. She looked so lost.

“I thought you said you went with your dad?”

Nicole nodded, out of her element.

“I did sometimes, but I never really… thought about anything.” She grimaced, “I just closed my eyes for thirty seconds or so. Whatever made him happy.” Waverly smiled, she used to do the same thing when she was younger. Her momma never really clarified what praying was, she simply demonstrated. So Waverly went along and wondered what God liked about hundreds of people pretending to be asleep. “But I want it to happen for real.” Nicole’s gaze was intense and Waverly got lost for a minute in the glow of amber. Shaking herself back to reality, she stepped back.

“It’s kinda different for everyone.” Waverly said slowly. “You should start by kneeling though.” She gestured to an empty pew near them and Nicole took her place, lowering herself onto the red cushion of the kneelers. She rubbed her hands against the smooth grain of the seat, taking a deep breath and then clasping her fingers in front of her like she’d always seen people do. She glanced up at Waverly, her eyes so unsure that Waverly couldn’t help but giggle. Nicole’s face fell.

“I feel like an idiot.” She stood up, shaking her head. Waverly’s heart burned.

“No!” She touched Nicole’s arm. “You’re doing fine, honestly. I’m sorry. You just…” She bit her lip, “You looked so adorable.”

In a _church_ , Mrs. Earp.

Nicole’s face got very red and her eyes filled up with something sweet. Waverly felt heat in her own cheeks as Nicole sat back down, not breaking eye contact. Waverly pulled her arm away, her fingers warm from the touch.

“Sorry, I just meant…” Waverly shook her head, “Nothing.” Guess she should be heading right back to the confessional after this little episode.

Nicole pulled her hands back together.

“So, I just think at him?” She asked.

Waverly nodded and walked into the pew, taking a spot right next to Nicole. “I could do it with you, if you want?” Their shoulders bumped up against each other intermittently.

“Pray?” Nicole choked.

Waverly rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, genius, pray.” Nicole caught a glimmer of humor in Waverly’s face. “Just close your eyes and talk to him, Nicole.” Waverly came in closer, “That’s what I’ve always done, to God or my momma or anyone else.”

Nicole eyes shut and she felt Waverly’s breath on her arm. Hard to concentrate on anything when Waverly was sitting right next to her. She peaked her eyes and Waverly’s were shut, she was focused, mouth murmuring something impossible to understand. Waverly was completely willing to sit down with Nicole, to pray with her. They’d only met twice before yet here she was.

Nicole turned her attention back to the front, eyes landing on a stained-glass window with a shepard. Nicole summoned up an image of her dad, sitting out on their old yard from before the divorce. His sunglasses rolling down his nose.

“Dad.”

She said out loud, he didn’t turn. She repeated herself but his gaze was locked on the street, the flair of summer just as thick in this memory.

“Dad.”

She felt Waverly’s fingers on her shoulder.  

“Nicole?”

Nicole opened her eyes, breaking away. She looked at Waverly.

“Did you say something”

Nicole shook her head.

“I…” She stood up and walked out of the row, shaky. “I don’t know if this is right.”

Waverly followed her, frowning with her arms crossed. The chapel echoed with their voices and Waverly couldn’t help but notice how the afternoon light caught Nicole’s hair. She was glowing like a Christmas figurine. She swallowed and stepped towards Nicole.

“I’m sorry,” She started, “Sometimes it can be hard for people.”

Nicole didn’t say anything.

“I lost my parents too, both of ‘em.” She continued. “It sucks.” _-Pardon-_.

Nicole moved towards Waverly.

“I’m sorry.”

“My momma was in a car accident and my daddy just lost his mind afterwards.” Waverly continued. “He just walked off one day and we got the news a few months later. Overdosed in a hotel about an hour outside of Manhattan. We had to identify him.” She stopped suddenly, stepping back and raising her arms “I’m sorry, I was rambling.” She looked at the ground. “This can’t be helping.”

Nicole shook her head.

“Honestly, it is.”

Waverly looked at her again, really _really_ trying to fight against whatever Nicole was doing to her, but she was only human after all. She smiled a long and easy smile.

“I’m glad.”

Nicole felt her heart start beating faster at Waverly’s smile, her fingers fidgeting.

Okay fuck. She had a crush, definitely a crush.

Waverly shifted on her feet.

“Listen, I gotta go grab Winnie. She’s downstairs with the daycare.” Waverly paused. “Do you wanna… come meet her?”

Nicole couldn’t think of anything she wanted to do more.

 

\--

 

Winnie was so sweet and small and beautiful that Nicole nearly fell apart, holding her like a wet cat. The daycare teacher laughed and Waverly fretted, trying to show Nicole how to cradle the back and support the neck.

Nicole squirmed but was all and all overwhelmed by the little person in her arms.

“She’s grabby right now, don’t freak out if she holds onto your hair or your fingers or anything.” Waverly said. Nicole didn’t respond, bobbing her gently up and down.

Waverly didn’t know what she was doing; seeing her little girl in Nicole’s arms was putting an entirely different fantasy in her head, one that was possibly worse than the ones that left her flushed at 2 AM.

Champ wasn’t a terrible dad but he sure wasn’t great. He worked late most nights, choosing to have dinner with associates and work friends over his own family.

Waverly wondered about Nicole, she was a lesbian, so most likely, kids were never on her radar. She seemed to fit right into Winnie though, she’d probably make a great mom, maybe someday.

Winnie’s tiny hand was wrapped around Nicole’s thumb and she made little noises, babbling phrases as she was prone to these days. Waverly grinned and stepped towards the pair.

“Winnie, honey.”

Nicole’s eyes drifted from the baby to her mother.

“This is Nicole.” Waverly pointed, landing her finger on Nicole’s shoulder. “Can you say Nicole?”

Winnie laughed and held fast on Nicole’s thumb.

“Nicole.” Waverly pointed again and Winnie followed her finger.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to…” Nicole said, holding back a smile.

“Nag-ol.” Winnie said, shining.

Nicole’s eyes widened and she turned to Waverly, unable to say anything.

“She’s pretty good, huh?” Waverly beamed with pride.

“She knows my name!” Nicole exclaimed, “She knows my name!”

Waverly nodded.

Winnie watched the two of them smile at each other and drooled.

 

\--

 

Fish’s words were running over Nicole’s mind, ‘Bobo’s friends in interesting places’.

Her knuckles were twitching.

She opened the lower drawer under her bed, underneath three or four layers of jeans and felt her hands wrap around metal. She hadn’t touched it in awhile, hated to look at it even.

A .38 Special, black and stout.

Nicole thought about buying some bullets, though if Bobo really did put a hit out on her, she wondered if there’d even be a fight. She might just not wake up.

It was almost midnight and her mind was still racing, running her hands along the barrel of the gun. When she fell asleep, she dreamed about Winnie and how Waverly’s face lit up when she sort-of said her name. Her eyes like heaven.

 

\--

 

“Nicole.”

 She was by the bubbler (finally fixed) holding a protein bar and a small plastic cup, it wasn’t much a lunch but she’d bought bacon for breakfast, so it made sense to cut back in another department. Bobo’s eyes were hard, harder than she’d seen them before.

“Bobo.”

“I heard you went by the hospital,” His voice was flat and cold. “How’s Fish?”

“Can’t you ask him yourself?” Nicole snarled. So much for laying low. Part of her would rather get the fight over with than tiptoe around the site for the next month.

Bobo hardly reacted.

“I was wondering what he said to you,”

Nicole held her tongue, unsure of what he was getting at and even less sure she wanted to know.

“cause I heard he asked you to dinner.”

Nicole squinted. How did he know about that?

Bobo leaned back on the table, it shuddered under his weight. He has scars all up and down his arms and would proudly tell you the stories behind them if you asked. Bobo was a man unafraid of his own harshness; and in truth, it was one of the things Nicole actually admired about him.

“Not your business, Del Rey.”

Bobo leaned in, their faces too close together.

“I’m afraid it is.”

Bobo leaned away and took to circling, half a bagel in his hand. He ate his food like a tiger, messy but focused. Nicole felt like she has a good couple inches on most folks, even the men, but Bobo seemed to stand above everyone else. Her work boots were nothing.

“Perfectly nice guy asks you out, you’re single, not getting younger, and you turn him down?” His eyes were starting to burn. “Why is that?”

Oh.

Nicole felt her stomach start to twist as she figured out Bobo’s line of questioning.

“Bobo.”

“Hold on. I’m not finished.” He took another messy bite and kept walking back and forth. Nicole sent a look to Dolls, bringing him closer, ready to jump in should back up be necessary. Dolls was like he always was, quiet and distant but still the best damned ally you could ask for in a fight. “A perfectly good guy and you turn him down, you don’t even give him chance.”

Nicole swallowed.

“Now maybe you just think you’re better than him, you’re worth more than him, than us.”

Nicole looked back at Dolls and nodded. He came up behind Bobo.

“But here’s my thinking; you’re not waiting for any kind of man at all, are you?” He shook his head, “You’re looking to corrupt.”

“Corrupt?”

Bobo nodded.

“Like only a dyke can.”

“Shut up!” Nicole said through her teeth, fists curled.

Dolls chose this moment to cut in.

“Watch your mouth.” He said, his eyes boring through the back of Bobo’s head. “Let’s all just calm down for a minute.”

“I’m very calm.” Bobo said, getting even closer to Nicole. “You almost kill my friend and then you reject him.” He let out a low breath. “You’re one nice gal.”

“Are you gonna fight me cause I wouldn’t go on a shitty bar date with Fish?” Nicole sneered, “I’d rather fight cause you _hate_ me, Del Rey, but that’s just my preference.”

Bobo stayed in her face for another couple seconds and backed off, pushing Dolls away.

“Big mouth can be dangerous.” He wrinkled his nose. “‘Specially on a bitch.”

Dolls grabbed Nicole’s arm and mouthed ‘Don’t’. She strained against him momentarily and then released her tension, falling back against the water bubbler. Bobo walked away, fading into the heat of the site.

“What the hell?” Dolls didn’t let go of Nicole’s arm. “Since when do you pick fights with the assholes on this crew?” Nicole tore her arm free. “I thought you were better than edging a guy like that on.”

Nicole rubbed her arm.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

She stared ahead.

 

_\--_

 

 _“Hi Nicole. I hope this message gets to you. I wasn’t sure if you were gonna be back this early, but I thought I’d at least try. Oh, this is Waverly, sorry! I don’t know if you could tell that already, but… I guess you can probably recognize my voice by now. Um. Anyways! I need a favor and I’m sorry it’s such short notice but my sister was supposed to babysit Winnie tonight and she pulled out at the last minute, which is exactly like her by the way. So, I was wondering if you’d be willing to swing by and put her to bed? It would just be a couple hours. Champ and I are going to this big fancy dinner with some associates from work and there’s no way I can stay home._ _Apparently_ _it’s a big deal. I know you’re busy but… it would mean the world to me… And I’d owe you one! Call me back when you get the chance, I hope you still have my number… Bye. Oh! Nicole! If you don’t mind, maybe you could bring some of your Springsteen tapes over… I, uh, I really liked that one you played, the other day. So thanks!”_

 

\--

 

Nicole pressed her palms against her jeans, wiping sweat away. She rang the doorbell again and tried to ignore the nerves that had been frying her alive the whole way over to Waverly’s house.

Champ answered the door, unfortunately. He was dressed in a simple blue suit, an undone tie decorating the piece.

“Oh.” He said, his forehead wrinkling, “You’re not Wynonna.”

Nicole grimaced and shook her head.

“She cancelled. I’m here instead.”

Champ stared at her, squinting his eyes.

“Natalie, right?”

She sighed. “Nicole, but close.”

“Right, right.” He opened the door and Nicole came through, staring at the litany of children’s books on the coffee table.

Champ fixed his gaze on her, as hard and intentional as the night before.

“So, how do you know my wife?”

Nicole looked up.

“Huh?”

Champ finished setting his tie. “Well, you’re gonna be looking after my kid all night, in my house, my food and everything. And I barely know you. Wouldn’t hurt to hear where you know Waverly from?” Champ smiled but Nicole was only made more uneasy. Something about him felt slightly dangerous, he was sweet but only to get something from you. Champ rebuttoned his coat and Nicole saw a bulge press against the breast pocket. He was carrying.

“Oh, we… we met at church.” Nicole said, not entirely lying.

“Yeah? She’s a nut for that stuff.” Champ’s face twisted, annoyance in his eyes. “I go when I can, but it’s just for her.” He laughed. “Don’t tell her I said that though.”

Nicole sensed she should laugh too, so she did. 

“Nicole!”

She turned her head and was blinded by the sight of Waverly Earp in a deep blue dress, long and lovely. It flared out at the bottom, making her waist look even more impossibly thin. Nicole’s breath held in her throat; she couldn’t breathe. Her hair was up, revealing her neck and shoulders and she was smiling, smirking really, enjoying Nicole’s shock.

“What do you think?” Waverly asked her.

“You look hot.” Champ answered, wrapping his arms around her and laying three wet kisses on her neck. Nicole could hear the smacking sound inside her skull.

Waverly smiled quietly and Nicole tried to read into her expression.

“Let’s go babe.”

“I gotta walk Nicole through bedtime!” Waverly protested, walking towards her guest and grabbing her hand. “We’ll be back in a few minutes.” She pulled Nicole out of the room while Champ redid his tie.

 

\--

 

“You look incredible, Waverly.”

Waverly blushed, her baby now in her arms, rocking her slightly.

“I never get to dress up anymore.” She admitted, “It feels nice to get all fancy and go to a big party.” She turned her face to Winnie’s, their noses brushing together. “Though I do miss _you_.” Winnie giggled, holding onto fistfuls of Waverly’s hair.

“She seems to agree with me.” Nicole smirked. Waverly laughed, facing Nicole again.

“She’s agreeing in order to get some dinner, and that’s all.”

Nicole shrugged. “She’s very convincing.”

Waverly looked at Nicole and hid her smile, handing Winnie off to her. Nicole fumbled slightly but kept the baby upright and happy, although she continued reaching out for her mother.

“There’s Kraft in the cupboard which she’s been eating a lot of recently, as well as Gerber’s. The Gerber’s is more nutritious so try that first but if she refuses, just give her the mac-n-cheese.” Nicole raised her eyebrows. “I'm not the best at refusing her much of anything.”

“I understand.” Nicole said softly, leaning her forehead against the soft poof of blonde growing on Winnie’s scalp. “She’s pretty irresistible.”

“Right now she is.” Waverly gave Nicole a look, “She’s got Champ’s temper sadly. My oh my, this kid can scream.”

She laughed slightly and rubbed Winnie’s side. Nicole tried to join in but Waverly’s words were sticking to her.

“Champ’s got a temper, huh?”

Waverly looked at her.

“The best of us have _something_.” She said, flashes of darkness in her eyes.

Nicole nodded.

“She should be in bed by seven, you can read to her if you like and then just stay put until we get back.” Waverly got closer and touched Nicole’s shoulder. “Thanks again for doing this.”

Nicole’s breath hitched. “Hope you have fun.”

Waverly smiled. “Me too.

 

\--

 

Winnie did start screaming and crying as soon as her parents left and Nicole didn’t quite know what to do but some dinner made her quiet, then sleepy and soon she was a rock, dead asleep. Nicole stood in the nursery for awhile, watching her chest rise. Nicole was sure something would go wrong as soon as she left the room so she stood like a guard dog, pacing. There were little framed drawings of Winnie the Pooh above her cradle; Pooh and Piglet walking, holding hands; Tigger bouncing; Pooh with a honeypot. It felt appropriate, like this was what a nursery for a sweet little blonde girl should look like.

Nicole wandered around the house a bit eventually. She didn’t want to feel like a spy or a sneak or anything but she was still curious. The house was nicer than it originally appeared with expensive furnishings and trinkets. Nicole wondered what line of work it was exactly that Champ was in.

She flipped through their cable for a little and eventually fell asleep herself, the white noise of cable news chatter lulling her off.

Waverly came home around eleven, exhausted from schmoozing and being introduced nearly thirty times. On walking into her living room she was stopped by the sight of Nicole Haught spread out on her couch, mouth open and eyes shut.

“Oh my God.” She said to herself, wrapped up in the messy hair and small sounds she was letting out every now and then. Waverly moved towards Nicole and touched her shoulder.

Nicole shot up.

“Sorry!" She looked around. "Jesus, how long was I out?” Nicole squinted, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Waverly giggled.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” She sat next to Nicole.

"Real good babysitter I am, huh?" Nicole grimaced and Waverly shook her head.

"I'm sure you were terrific."

“Where’s Champ?” Waverly’s smile went away, nothing got by Nicole apparently.

“He’s still at the party.” She answered quickly. “He and his buddies had to talk business with a few clients at some bar. I didn’t want to keep you all night.” She laughed, “Though clearly you would have been fine to sleep it through.”

Nicole didn’t laugh back.

“So he went out drinking and left you to deal with the kid?” There was a slight menace in Nicole’s voice, though Waverly could tell it wasn't directed at her. She shifted awkwardly on her cushion.

“It’s… not that unusual.” Waverly wanted to defend him but couldn’t pull a solid argument together. Nicole furrowed her brow. “He works hard. He’s just trying to support us.”

“Supporting you by drinking through the night with his buddies?”

“You’re making a lot of assumptions.” Waverly snapped suddenly.

Nicole stopped, realizing that Waverly was right. God, she was being such a dick.

“I’m sorry.” She said, completely sincere, “I don't know your life.”

Waverly didn’t move, taking in the apology. Nicole held her breath; she was probably gonna get kicked out and not invited back just because of her big mouth.

“I’d like you to.” Waverly finally said. She moved closer to Nicole. “I feel like I can talk to you, you know, _really_ talk. About more than just what’s for dinner.”

Nicole nodded, the corners of her lips turning up. She wasn’t crazy at least.

"So tell me something."

Waverly paused, considering.

“I wanted to go to school y’know?” Waverly started, her eyes on the ground. “We didn’t have a ton of money but I got really good grades; really good. My counselor said I could get into Yale or Columbia, if I really wanted to”

“I bet you could.” Nicole hadn’t really pegged her for the genius type but Waverly Earp defied just about every expectation she had. “What did you wanna study?”

“History.” Waverly’s eyes lit. “Anthropology, stuff like that.”

“Damn.”

Waverly leaned in closer.

"So what happened?" Nicole asked, dreading the answer.

“I found out I was pregnant on graduation.” Waverly’s eyes were so mixed up that Nicole couldn’t read them. “Champ and I had been messing around…”

“No way. Little Miss Catholic?”

Waverly’s hands twisted, and Nicole realized her error.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“No, you’re right.” Waverly cut her off. “I’m a bad Christian.”

“Waverly!” Nicole eye’s were wide and she touched Waverly’s hands, relaxing into her palms. Waverly looked back her. “Don’t say that stuff. I was kidding, it was stupid.” Waverly’s fingers interlocked with her own and Nicole felt a small sound escape her lips.

“Don’t be nervous, Nicole.”

She nodded, not about to disobey.

“You’re a good person.” Waverly smiled. “You don’t have to convince me I am too.”

“Waverly,” Nicole said in disbelief. “You’re the best person I know.”

“Remember what I said about my dad?” Waverly asked. “My sister went the same way, except she did it off a bridge. That one over there, by the bay.” She raised her hand and pointed out the window. Nicole couldn’t see anything in the dark but trusted that Waverly knew exactly where that bridge was at all times. “She and my other sister, Wynonna, they were always closer, always more bonded. I was the brat.” She laughed sadly. “She still loves Willa more… And she’s dead.”

Waverly rubbed her hand on her mouth, smearing her lipstick slightly.

“You probably think I’m terrible now, talking about my sister like that.”

Nicole shook her head.

“My sister hates me and I probably hate her a little too.”

Waverly's eyebrows raised.

“The divorce? Wasn’t great for our relationship.”

“I’m sorry.”

Waverly broke their fingers apart and placed her hand on Nicole’s shoulder, still comforting. Such a mother. Nicole licked her lips.

“Do you ever regret having her?”

Waverly’s eyes didn’t falter.

“Never.”

 

\--

 

Nicole stayed awhile longer and the two eventually found themselves on the porch, drinks in hand. It was actually a cool night and Waverly’s dress had been exchanged for another, one with loose, cottony fabric that told them both which way the wind was blowing. Nicole was laughing loudly and one by one the neighborhood lights began to fade, only street lamps keeping their faces lit.

“You looked beautiful tonight, y’know?” Nicole said, the third bottle revealing itself in her slurred speech. “You’re something else.”

Waverly just smiled, not even trying to put Nicole off.

“I think you’re drunk.”

“Doesn’t make it a lie.” Nicole was red in the face and giddy.

“Well, that makes two of us.” Waverly added, taking a long sip from her bottle. Nicole eyed her suspiciously.

“Two of us… what?” She asked.

Waverly smiled with her eyes but kept her mouth still, begging Nicole to lean in.

“Two of us who looked beautiful tonight.”

Nicole nearly choked on her drink and Waverly burst into a fit of giggles, unable to keep a straight face.

“Shut up.”

Waverly’s eyes flared again and Nicole knew what she was gonna say before she said it.

“Make me, Haught.”

Nicole froze and she almost looked around for her dad, expecting him to appear at the sound of his name.

She tilted her bottle back and drained it, standing out of the plastic chair. She moved towards Waverly slowly, finding her feet again. Waverly just stared.

She reached out her hand and Waverly accepted, gliding to her feet.

“You ever bring me that tape?” Waverly asked shyly, their hands locked.

“I got it.” Nicole said throatily. “But you gotta dance with me first.”

Waverly tensed.

“I mean,” Nicole started backtracking, “if you want to-”

Waverly pushed herself into Nicole’s arms, her lips brushing the taller girl’s cheek. Nicole felt the warmth fade far too quickly. She stared at Waverly, unsure.

“I’m a terrible dancer.” Waverly whispered.

Nicole nodded.

“So am I.” She pulled Waverly closer, wrapped her arms tighter. “But _that_ is what's great about rock, you don’t really have to look good.”

Waverly smirked.

“Thank God.”

An ambulance ran down a parallel road and several dogs started barking. Nicole felt heat growing between them, terrible and bright. 

“What the fuck!”

The cry split them like lightning. Champ had snuck up on them without either woman noticing, his jacket looped around his shoulder and his tie loose. Waverly rushed towards Champ, standing between him and Nicole.

“You fucking bitch.”

“Champ, calm down. Nothing was happening.”

He moved past Waverly and shoved Nicole with both his hands, slamming her into the brick of the townhouse. Something broke the skin on her back and Nicole felt blood start to color her shirt. Great. Champ seemed taller than usual, his eyes wide and blurred.

“Stay the hell away from my wife.” He choked out, “And stay the hell away from my kid!”

“Champ, stop, she wasn’t doing anything.”

He spun and landed his eyes on Waverly.

“Get inside.”

She didn’t move.

“Champ-”

“Now.” He grabbed her elbow and in a jerky motion, shoved her through the front door. Nicole felt bile rise to the top of her throat and moved on Champ, taking a clean shot to the right side of his face.

The punch rang through the neighborhood like a gunshot. Champ stumbled back and landed in a lawn chair.

“Do not.” She was breathing heavy, a trail of spit threading her jaw. 

Champ touched the blood starting to run from his mouth and laughed. He wiped the red on his shirt, marking a long streak.

“Get the hell out and don’t come back.” He said plainly. “Don’t let me see you around her again.”

He got up, leaving the chair tipped on it’s side and walked through door.

The lights stayed on.

Nicole shook her fist out, her knuckles worse than ever.

Maybe she would have to see a goddamn doctor. Shit.

The house was silent. Nicole took a last look and walked home.

 

\--

 

“What the hell happened to you?”

Nicole was stiff and practically limping; not to mention the hangover.

“Nothing, I feel like shit.”

“Clearly.” Dolls took a sip from his cup. “Bobo didn’t pull anything, did he?”

Nicole shook her head. “It was my own damn fault.” She watched Bobo come in with his buddies, cheering on Fish like the prodigal son. He was coming back to work today, no heavy duty yet, but the man had rent to keep.

“Fucking Bobo.” She muttered, their interaction the other day still ghosting on her mind. Now she had _two_ homicidal dicks on her case. Classic.

Nicole stopped.

Maybe that could be reduced to one.

Nicole started moving towards Fish, getting dirty looks from the rest of Bobo’s crew as she landed in front of him.

“Nicole?”

“This Friday at eight. I like Italian.” She stated plainly, “Don’t be late.”

“Seriously?”

Nicole swallowed, eyeing Bobo and seeing something in his eyes she’d never caught before. Almost like pride. 

“Seriously.”

 

\--

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i place Waverly as about 20 and Nicole as 24 in this btw
> 
> i know what you're thinking... Fish??? girls??? date??? all will be revealed my friends, all will be revealed. 
> 
> if you enjoyed! please leave a comment! it means the world!


	3. meet me out on the street, little girl, tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we GO!
> 
> if you're feeling stressed out about a racist neofascist taking the highest office in american government, i hope this update offers some relief

\--

 

Fish had trimmed his ragamuffin beard and put on a jacket. It was suede and a little too big for him, looking like a superman cape. He was sitting on the stairs with a pale rose wrapped in plastic, the kind they sell at the Ha-Ha Deli a few blocks down. Nicole tapped her fingers along the windowsill, still littered with dead insects. She should probably clean that out at some point.

Nicole knew she was fifteen minutes late; she just couldn’t seem to take that first step out the door. She glanced back at the bathroom mirror. She wasn’t in a dress, instead wearing an okay-looking blouse and slacks combo that Evelyn had pawned off on her a few years ago. She’d never wore it before, never finding the occasion.

Everything felt very wrong, awkward and unnatural. Nicole felt like she was in someone else’s body. She smoothed the fabric down against her skin. It wasn’t such a price to have Bobo off her back right? She’d be nice, flirt a little, maybe kiss him. His roving band of assholes would be off her case for weeks and she’d never have to do it again. Everyone would be sated for a while; the barbarians would back down from the city gates.

She looked at him again, Fish was checking his watch. This was the second time she’d rescheduled on him, losing the nerve to actually step outside the door. She was still more than a little freaked out about what Fish could want from her, which she could never be expected to give.

Now or never.

She remembered her first date. It was before the divorce and her mom was still giving her advice; do’s and don’t’s. Nicole couldn’t help but wish she was here now. Her mother approached the idea of men like a general preparing for wartime. It was never about actual feelings, it was about tricking the boy into thinking you were his ideal just long enough to secure your position, your future. Nicole hadn’t liked the way her parents had treated each other but she was always impressed with how hard her mom had fought; to the death always.

Evelyn had told her that a guy from her Chemistry block had been asking about her. She said he was _interested_. Nicole had shrugged and Evelyn had flown off, delivering messages back and forth like a carrier pigeon until the following weekend when the newly christened couple found themselves at a movie theater together. Nicole had allowed herself to be kissed and for an arm to be slung over her shoulder but nothing more. She remembered the movie they saw with more clarity than her first boyfriend’s face. He was blonde, she thought, maybe a little chubby and covered in freckles that darkened in the sunshine.

They’d gone on a few more dates but nothing ever came of it. Her mother wasn’t disappointed when the inevitable happened.

“You can do better anyways, Nicole, baby.”

Nicole wasn’t so sure.

When her mom left and took Evelyn with her, there was nobody around to set up dates and arrange future boyfriend so precisely that all Nicole had to do was show up. When her dad would ask if there were any guys she was interested in, she’d change the subject.

Nicole ran her fingers through her hair one more time, fixing any stray cowlicks. She hadn’t seen Waverly since the incident with Champ, two weeks ago ago. Her head got dizzy thinking about it. She’d been calling her number once a day ( Her mother’s scoff was in her brain, “Very desperate, Nicole”), but no one was answering. The first time she’d dialed, she’d heard Waverly’s breathing on the other end.

“Waverly? It’s me.” The line went dead. Nicole grunted in frustration and slammed the phone on the receiver, shaking the lobby walls. Nobody picked up after that.

Nicole thought about the way Champ had touched Waverly, forcing her in the house, like he was some gropey stranger. It appeared that Waverly was right about his temper. The image made her eyes wet and her fists itchy, desperate to finish the fight she’d started.

She looked in the mirror and forced a smile; it was just one date. Nothing more, nothing less. That line of thinking didn’t stop the growing nausea she felt in the bottom of her stomach.

 

\--

 

“Sorry about the wait.” Nicole jumped down the stairs, still in her docs. “I got caught up.”

“It’s no problem.” Fish offered her the flower which she took, smiling too wide to show just how much she liked it. “I know how you girls are with your makeup and all that.”

Nicole laughed, wondering if Fish could tell she wasn’t wearing any.

 

\--

 

He’d taken her advice and brought them both to an Italian place Nicole had never seen before. It wasn’t fancy but it wasn’t cheap either which Nicole appreciated; he was definitely trying.

“I like pasta too.” Fish rolled a napkin across his lap. There were little strings of Christmas lights floating around the tables and hung up near the ceiling.  

“Who doesn’t in this neighborhood?”

Fish grinned. “You’re right. They’d gotta be out of their minds.”

The waiter came by quickly and before she knew what was happening, Fish was ordering appetizers and wine and multiple dishes. Nicole tried to protest but was shut down all too fast.

“It’s on me. I know how to treat a lady.” Fish winked and Nicole tried not to sour. Checks and balances; now she owed Fish way more than she had a few moments earlier.

“A lot to spend on one night out.” Nicole picked up a piece of bread and tore it in two, dipping one half in the olive oil tray before them. She and Fish had equal footing on the work crew but she wouldn’t be surprised if he was making more than her.

“We deserve to treat ourselves every now and then, huh?”

Nicole nodded and took a bite. What might have been subpar ciabatta tasted like manna in the wilderness to her malnourished ass. She let out a moan of approval and Fish’s eyes lit.

“Good, right?” He smiled.

“Very.”

“I think food is the best part of all this, so we might as well eat the best shit there is.”

Nicole nodded. “Right.”

Fish was nice, there was a reason she and Dolls liked hanging around him. Sure, he could act a little strange every now and then but so did most of Bobo’s crew and unlike the rest of them, he really seemed to have a mind of his own. Most of that group would follow Bobo to a T, but Fish made his own way and Nicole respected that. It wasn’t an easy task considering the real power Bobo had in both the physical sense and in who was backing him at all times.

In a manner of speaking, Fish knew how to swim upstream.

“Is it weird, working for Nedley?”

Nicole paused, considering.

“Less weird than I thought it would be.”

“Your dad is still spoken of pretty highly, even if there are disagreements on some policy stuff.” Fish nodded, a serious look in his eyes. “Him and Nedley, building the company up from the ground like that.” He whistled. “And considering all the competition they had, it’s incredible how strong we are today, I tell ya.”

Nicole swallowed, remembering not to talk with her mouth full.

“Yeah.” She said, “He was a smart guy.”

“It’s just a shame about them falling out like they did.” Fish spread butter on his roll, fingers loose around the knife “Y’know, even with Bobo, loyal as he is, I think if he gave you a chance, show that you’re not just your dad, you’re your own person.” He took a bite. “Shit, I think he’d really like you.”

Nicole remembered the long days of the end of her dad’s life. It had all started over payment disputes. Haught. looking to put a few extra dollars in the hands of his workers and Nedley thinking the money should go back into the company, like what they’d always done before. Her dad had continued to rile people up, telling them to demand fair compensation but his actions had only split the camp in two; one side favoring Nedley and the other Haught. She was a year or so out of high school, looking at night classes and trying to pull a life together. He’d come home and tell her all about the negotiations and the fights and Nicole would pace, riveted and terrified. Soon, things got out of hand; threats were made and carried out and Nicole came home one morning to find her dad sitting in his easy chair, a bullet in his brain and the same black gun that now sat under Nicole’s bed in his hands. The case was quickly ruled a suicide. Nicole stopped going by the precinct after a couple months, knowing they wouldn’t push the investigation any further. Half those guys on the beat were payed off anyways.

Nedley hired Nicole half out of pity and half out of probable guilt.

“Bobo has his own ideas about right and wrong.” Nicole added.

Fish stared at her, a grin playing on his lips.

“You’re something else, Nicole Haught.” His eyes squinted. “I’ll always remember that beard he had, Jesus Christ, the thing was monstrous.” Fish laughed and Nicole smiled. She was always telling him to shave back then.

“The man looked like bigfoot and Yosemite Sam had a lovechild.”

Fish laughed louder, the table shaking a little as their food arrived.

“Oh thank Christ, I’m starved.”

 

\--

 

“So I haven’t been entirely honest.”

Nicole looked up from her panna cotta (she’d never tried it before and it was a little too sweet for her liking, but Fish had insisted) and stared at him confused. He was already finished with his coffee.

“Honest?”

“About my intentions,” He paused to wipe his lips with the back of his hand. “...with you.”

Nicole had been having a nice time actually, they had a bit of fair conversation going and there was nothing threatening about the way Fish engaged with her. She didn’t feel nervous about a second glass of wine. If she was actually attracted to him, she could have seen this working.

“I don’t follow.” She took a spoonful of creamy gelatin into her mouth.

“Y’see, Nicole,” He took a breath and looked at the tablecloth. “I’m already in a relationship.”

Her dessert caught in her throat and Nicole coughed, looking up at Fish with wide eyes.

“What?” She choked out, trying to regulate her breathing.

“I- uh, I asked you here cause I need your help with something.”

“Hell of a way of asking for help.” She hissed, half of Nicole relieved and the other half licking at her wounded pride. “Then what’s with the fancy meal?”

“Look, I know… about you.” He stopped, “And the thing is, I’m not _with_ a woman.”

Nicole opened her mouth and nothing came out.

Oh.

“You’re gay?” Nicole said, careful about her volume. They both looked around the place, making sure nobody was listening. “You have a lover?”

Fish nodded, not able to help smiling.

“He _was_ my landlord… things got complicated.” He chuckled. “Needless to say most folks think we’re bachelor roommates.”

“People _really_ fall for that?” Nicole asked, incredulous.

“Not everybody’s a queen with two cats living in the Village.” Fish cracked his knuckles on the table. “And when you’ve got Bobo Del Rey on your side, most tend not to make snide comments.” He pulled his wallet out and pulled out a very old polaroid, growing brown around the edges. Fish was in it and another man beside him, looking up at the sky. He might have been a little older. “That’s Levi.”

“Levi.” Nicole repeated.

“Handsome, right?”

“Very.”

Fish took the photo back, tucking it tenderly away like a thousand dollar bill.

“And you?” He asked, leaning across the table with a sly smile. “Anyone in your life?”

Nicole shifted uncomfortably. Fish pulled back.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“It’s fine.” She started, rubbing her hands together. “I’ve just never really talked about it with anybody before.” She thought about Waverly, like whatever was going on there could even be considered a relationship. She was married, maybe not happily, but still married. “There isn’t anybody, not really.”

“Not really?” Fish pressed, “Sounds like a story.”

“There’s this… girl, woman.” Nicole paused, so untrained, “She’s married though.”

Fish sucked his teeth. “Tough. What’s her name?”

Nicole shrugged, trying not to spill her cards. “Uh, Waverly.” He took that in. “So, does Del Rey know about you and _Levi_?” Fish laughed.

“Do I look dumb?” He shook his head. “I keep to my personal life like anybody else. And I’d like to keep it that way, but here’s the thing;” He paused, sniffing. “the boys are starting to wonder. I know they do the same about you. No one looks at me and thinks I’m some kind of casanova. So what I do?” Nicole kept her gaze strong but her nerves had started bubbling up again, she wasn’t sure where Fish was going with any of this, nor why he was suddenly making sudden declarations like they were anything but casual work friends. “My thinking is, I get hitched, the key being; make sure the lady I get hitched to doesn’t have any expectations.” He sat back, grinning. “You getting me?”

Nicole coughed. “Fish, I don’t think-”

“Marry me, Nicole.” It wasn’t a question. “Think about it, it’s the perfect game. No one’ll be on our backs, we’ll get all the tax benefits and none of the commitment shit. Boys in the village call it ‘bearding’. It’s fucking genius.”

Nicole’s mouth was open.

“Are you crazy?” She felt sick. “People will figure it out.”

“Bobo’s guys are scary sure, but they’re idiots.” Fish said, “They won’t know anything.”

“I…” She took a breath. “I barely know you.”

“Who says you have to?” Fish put his hands up. “It’s marriage, Nicole. Not like we have to consummate or anything.”

“No, no. I can’t.” Nicole stood, shaking the table. Fish rolled his eyes. “I can’t just _marry_ you, Fish.”

“You’re making this way too big a deal.” Fish reached out to try and get her sitting down again but she shook his arms off. “It’s not.”

“It is a big deal.” Her tone was suddenly accusatory. “Maybe not to you, but to me, it is.”

Nicole walked towards the door, fists clenched, thinking about Waverly. The other people seated noticed her sudden exit and began whispering amongst themselves.

“Jesus, lesbians are so dramatic.” Fish muttered, the waiter coming by with the check.

 

\--

 

“You know about Bobo’s connections?”

Dolls dug his shovel deep into gravel, covered in sweat and grease.

“I don’t know anything about anything and if he asks, tell him that’s what I said.” He grunted and pulled up, rubble flying backwards. Bobo hadn’t been seen the past few days and Nedley wasn’t answering questions. The only positive being that he hadn’t given her any shit about the date.

“Come on, Xavier.” Nicole leaned on her own shovel, trying to act casual.

Dolls gave her a look.

“Oh, we’re not there yet?” She asked.

He sighed and wiped his forehead. “I hate the man just as much as you do, doesn’t mean I wanna get killed for it.” He took another stab at the Earth and groaned. “You wanna help with this?”

Nicole nodded and picked herself up, getting down in the rubble with her partner.

“How’d it go with Fish?”

“Christ. Don’t ask.”

 

\--

 

Nicole tried Waverly again that night and someone, at last, picked up.

“Waverly? Is that you? I just want to-”

A low voice cut her off.

“Stop calling.”

The dial-tone kicked in and Nicole stood, gripping the phone so tight it could have broken in two.

 

\--

 

She finally found Waverly again at the grocery, Winnie in her stroller, pointing at everyone who walked by. Nicole was there buying eggs which she nearly splattered on the floor on noticing the brunette in her same aisle, focused on which brand of sausage to buy. Waverly didn’t look up. Her basket was full to the brim with a long bottle of red wine stuck near the top.

Nicole scanned her quickly, nothing seemed so out of the ordinary, she didn’t have any visible bruises or limps. There was, however, a long thin scarf that wrapped around her neck several times, covering everything up. Nicole’s hands curled into fists. That devious fuckin’ no-good abusive son of a bitch. It was eighty-five in the _shade_ today, who wears a scarf in the middle of the summer?

Winnie saw Nicole and pointed.

“Nag-ol!” Her voice was bright, and Nicole could hear her from all the way down the aisle.

“What, honey?” Waverly turned, immediately spotting Nicole who was staring, unable to break eye contact. Her whole face darkened and she became very still. There were a few other shoppers in the frozen aisle, totally oblivious to the tightening atmosphere.

Nicole’s mouth opened like she might say something but Waverly was suddenly gone, turning into the next aisle over.

“No.” Nicole muttered and followed her into the cereal section. Waverly was pushing the stroller along, clipping by the colorful boxes without stopping to look. Winnie was still sounding off, her little voice stumbling through Nicole’s name over and over again, finding little variations on every try.

“Waverly!” Nicole said, not wanting to call attention to herself. A few patrons gave her a weird glance but most kept on with what they were doing, too busy to be bothered. “Wait, slow down.”

Waverly looked back at her and stopped, realising that she couldn’t really reasonably escape. Nicole slowed, standing just a few feet away from the shorter woman. Waverly eyed her and stepped around the stroller, putting herself between Nicole and Winnie. There was a harshness in her gaze that Nicole had never seen before. This was worse than being strangers.

“So, what? Are you following me now?” Waverly asked, devoid of sentiment.

Nicole’s mouth fell open.

“Are you serious?”

Waverly shuffled her basket from one hand to the other.

“You just happen to show up at the grocery I told you I shopped at?” Waverly was shielding herself. “Not to mention ringing the phone off the damn hook.” Her voice quieted on the four-letter word, not wanting Winnie to hear her curse. Even in the middle of whatever this was, Nicole had to appreciate the sweetness of that action.

“I’m not following you.” Nicole said, convincing herself as well as Waverly. She _had_ remembered Waverly mentioning the place and _maybe_ she had been going to the store more frequently than was really necessary, but she wasn’t a stalker. More like a concerned neighbor. “I was calling because I was worried. Champ seemed so angry the other night, I got scared that I-”

“Don’t talk about him.” Waverly shook her head, “And don’t worry. We’re fine.”

She wasn’t fine. Up close Nicole could see the circles under her eyes, determinedly covered up by more than one layer of base and powder. Waverly looked exhausted.

“Waverly-”

“I appreciate the concern but really, Nicole; we’re fine.” Waverly huffed and turned around, putting her attention to a box of Cap’n Crunch.

“You said that Champ had a temper… If he’s taking anything out on you.”

Waverly looked back.

“Stop. Just stop.” Her voice trembled. “

“Look,” She took a step towards Waverly, her hands up like they were negotiating hostages. “If you don’t want me around, say the word.” She swallowed, Waverly’s eyes were full of something incomprehensible. “You’ll never see me again… if that’s what you want.”

Waverly bit her lip.

“But if it’s not, Waverly, you have to tell me.” Nicole said, desperation coloring her words.

“You…” Waverly paused and brought her hands to her face, breathing heavily. “I _hate_ you.”

Nicole stepped back, her heart dropping.

“What?”

“You know!” She pointed at Nicole, the tears starting to dribble down her cheeks, “You know that’s not what I want!” Waverly struggled to bring her breath back to normal, wiping her face with her scarf. “So don’t play dumb with me.”

“I’m not playing anything, Waverly.” Nicole didn’t look away, her gaze so defiant and so concerned at the same time it made Waverly’s head spin. “I was just worried, honestly.” Waverly took a deep breath, still angry.

“You’re making this hard.” She said through gritted teeth. “Much harder than it has to be.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing!” Nicole’s voice raised, echoing inside the contained space. The aisle had cleared out, otherwise Nicole might be nervous about getting them both ejected from the store.

“Yes, you do!” Waverly matched her volume, “This is what _you people_ do!”

Nicole let out a choked laugh. “Nice, right. The big, scary dyke. You get that one from sunday school or your thug husband?”

Fuck.

She wanted to slap her hand over her mouth but the damage was done. Waverly glared, swallowing something worse to say down her throat.

“He’s not a…” Waverly couldn’t lie to Nicole. She couldn’t bear it.

There was a long pause.

“I’m not doing anything.” Nicole filled the silence. “I’m not trying to do anything.”

Waverly took a large step into Nicole’s personal space, her eyes never losing their focus. Nicole instinctively moved in the opposite direction, hitting her back against the the rows and rows of Honey Nut Cheerios.  “Oh really?” She put her hands on either side of Nicole’s collar and pulled in. Their lips were a breath apart, so close that Nicole could feel the warmth radiating from Waverly like she was a thousand watt bulb.

Things became still. They were both swallowed up in the desire to move just an inch closer. “So this doesn’t make you feel anything?” She whispered, her voice had lost its edge, showing how badly she was being affected as well. Nicole winced, her heart pounding in her chest.

“I…” She said softly, trying not to give in, “What do you want me to say?”

Waverly released and pulled away, staring at the ground. She looked embarrassed or ashamed or tired or all three.

“I’m sorry.” She shook her head and looked at Nicole, pressed up like Waverly was still holding her there. “I just….” She laughed, “I can’t sleep. Everytime I try, I wind up thinking about _you_ . And then I wake up next to my _husband_ and my _child_ and… All I can think about is you.”

Nicole blinked.

“You and your fucking hair.” Waverly sniffed.

Nicole laughed sadly and Waverly fell against her, a few tears still rolling down her face. She wrapped her arms around Nicole and they stood there, laughing into each other and trying not to cry.

“Waverly.” Nicole said finally, she felt the smaller girl nod into her shirt. “Why are you wearing that scarf?”

Waverly tensed and pulled the loop tighter against her skin.

“He said if he ever saw you at the house again, he’d kill you.” Her face was pressed against  Nicole’s shoulder, creating a wet spot.

“And?”

Waverly pulled back, not looking at Nicole.  

“And, don’t come back to the house.” She rubbed her nose. “Ever.”

“Waverly.” Nicole said in disbelief, “You can’t ask me to-”

“I’m not gonna let him hurt you, Nicole.” Waverly held her resolve, shaking her head back and forth. “I can’t let him hurt you.”

“He won’t. I can take care of myself.”

Waverly laughed.

“You don’t know…  the things he does to people.” Her voice was high and desperate. “Him and the people he works for.”

“I think I do.” Nicole moved closer. “And I’m not scared.” Waverly groaned and grabbed Nicole’s arm suddenly.

“Don’t be an idiot.” Her eyes twitched. “Can’t you see? This’ll just go away and things will get back to normal!”

“But it doesn’t.” Nicole said bluntly. Waverly’s face fell.

“What?”

“It doesn’t go away.” Nicole moved closer and slid her hand into Waverly’s. She didn’t respond, her fingers falling loosely away. “Trust me.”

Winnie whined, tugging at her mother’s dress. Waverly let out a breath, saved by the bell.

“Oh honey.” She knelt down, pulling out a plastic ring of keys for her to suck on.

The bottle that had caught Nicole’s eye earlier slipped from the basket and before Nicole could yell out a warning, shattered on the ground, spilling deep red all across the tiled floor.

“Dang it!” Waverly spun up, the fray of her dress soaked through.

Winnie’s started screaming at the loud noise and a few customers were threading back in, rubbernecking the mess.

“Jesus.” Nicole felt helpless. The baby’s screaming went in and out like a terrible alarm clock.

“Shit,” Waverly shook her hands out, covered in wine. Nicole was still doing nothing. “Nicole! Could you quiet her down or something? I’m soaked.” She knelt, trying to pull the shards together.

Nicole’s eyes went wide for a second but she quickly maneuvered around and got Winnie out of her seat buckle and into the air. She tried to remember putting her to sleep that night two weeks ago and rocked her hips back and forth, bobbing the little girl in her arms.

“Shhh. Shhh.” Nicole whispered tightly, “Please, please, shhh.”

Winnie’s howls grew louder.

“I don’t know what I’m doing.” She said to no one in particular.

Just do something.

Music floated into her mind and Nicole started humming little phrases. _“Screen door slams. Mary’s dress sways.”_ Waverly stopped and watched Nicole, who was still holding the baby all wrong, somehow make the world quiet again. Winnie’s eyes were wide open and wet as she looked at the woman holding her. “ _Like a vision she dances mmmm-mm the radio plays_ …” Her mouth closed.

Waverly felt a little drowsy, overwhelmed by the strong smell of fermented grapes.

“You’re so good with her.” She swallowed.  “God, you’re better than he is.”

Nicole wanted to smile but Waverly looked so resigned.

“I don’t want to stop seeing you.”

Waverly sighed, rubbing her sticky, red hands all over the waist of her dress.

“I know.” Her voice teetered off into nothingness as a store employee came by with a mop to wipe everything away. “But you have to.”

 

\--

 

Waverly sat on the couch drifting in and out of attention. Champ was running over his weekend plans for the second time.

“I’ll see if a couple of the boys can come and check on you.” He grinned and touched her shoulder. “You like Eddie right? He and Frank Long can swing by sometime.”

Waverly held a pained smile. “You don’t have to do that.”

“What’s the harm?” Menace crept into his voice and Waverly went silent, not wanting to start another fight now that things were finally starting to get back to normal. “Just making sure you’re safe while I’m not here to look out for you.”

Waverly stifled a snort.

“My sister’ll be at the house anyway.” She said, “She’s overdue for a visit.”

Champ whistled, “Now I’m really glad I’m going outta town.”

She feels the same, Waverly thought.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Champ sat beside her, running his hands across her front. “You’ve seemed so depressed lately.” Waverly stared at the carpet. “It’s not about her is it?”

She shook her head quickly.

“I told you before, I forgive you.” He kissed her exposed shoulder. “Like I said; this is what those people do, they manipulate and coerce and hurt people. I’m not angry at _you_ forgetting duped.” Waverly burned, her skin flushing with either embarrassment or rage. “Just forget it ever happened.”

She nodded. “Right.”

 

\--

 

“There she is.” Bobo’s voice sent another wave of fear down her body, crueler than she’d ever heard it before. “Nicole Haught.” He laughed, “Looks like I was right about you.”

Nicole kept her head down, desperate not to engage.

“I’m talking to you, dyke.”

She leveled his gaze, her brow creased.

“Don’t call me that.” Her words came slow, backing off from the mess this was sure to be. Bobo had a group of men behind him, five or six guys. A fight was unwinnable, so the best option was to talk her way out.

“I gotta say,” Bobo continued, stepping closer into her air. “I _thought_ Fish was just wasting his time, I didn’t realise how perverted you really are. If what he said is true, I mean, Christ.”

Nicole’s nostrils flared. Fish lied about her to Bobo. That son of a bitch.

“Fish doesn’t know anything about me.” Nicole’s voice was desperate to stay level, not to lose herself in anger. “And neither do you, Bobo.” The day was humid and cloudy. Newark was expecting a thunderstorm like nothing else, predicted to go all night. Everyone was still covered in a sheen of sweat.

“I think I know something.” He swallowed a sneer. “I know about Waverly.”

Nicole’s eyes widened, giving her away. Bobo took a step forwards.

“I knew it.”

“Whatever you think you know,” Nicole said, stepping towards him, “is a damn lie. I didn’t wanna fuck that shitstain so now he’s making up stories. Simple as that.”

“Right.” Bobo leaned in, “So you aren’t interested in any married women?”

Nicole glared at him.

“That’s what I thought.” Bobo smiled. “It’s funny.” He took a breath. “I actually know a Waverly, the wife of one of my associates uptown who keeps an eye on the various goings-on in this neighborhood. A very nice guy, and a very pretty girl.”

Nicole’s blood ran cold; Bobo’s friends in interesting places.

“Champ Hardy's his name.”

Fuck. Nicole’s hand was shaking, wrench still clutched in her fist.

“Hm,” Bobo stared at her, gleeful in the fear he was causing, “that ring any bells?” A murmur started to run through the crowd behind him, and a few others were wandering into the circle, itching for a fight. “I tell you,” He was inches away from her. “He might not be so happy to hear what I’ve been hearing. Champ’s a nice guy, but he’s not so keen on sharing.”

Nicole tightened her grasp.

“Especially his bitches.”

Her hand whipped up and caught Bobo’s jaw with a girthy metallic sound. Her knuckles cracked.

He stumbled backwards, falling into the arms of his men and clutching at the bloody gash in his chin. He didn’t make a sound.

Immediately, she felt a blow land to the side of her face and crumpled. One of the more excitable young men had started the retaliation. Nicole held on to the tool bench and pulled herself back up, trying to see her adversaries through blurry vision. A dozen or so guys were all around her and Dolls had gone home early that day.

She sniffed; there was no way.

“Break it up!” Nedley’s voice sounded like angels singing. “What’s going on?”

Nicole listened in a half daze at the men around her laid the blame at her feet. How she attacked Bobo at random, just look at the cut she gave him, the blood on the wrench. She’s a maniac. Just like her father, boss, just like her father.

Nedley turned to her with an angered resignation.

“This true?”

She nodded, not bothering to defend herself.

Nedley sighed.

“Well, that’s your third strike, I think.”

The wrench hit the graveled pavement and Nicole felt like walking into the sun.

 

\--

 

She was drowning, stumbling back and forth on the streets. Every stranger who passed by was a potential asshole ready to take her down for good. Her apartment felt unsafe and terrible, even putting her hands on the cold metal of the pistol didn’t slow her heart rate. She pressed ice to her lip and brow line, she looked bad, like she hadn’t known sleep in weeks.

Nicole knew where she wanted to go but she also knew that survival rates of actually going weren’t high. If Champ said he wanted her dead, she wasn’t gonna doubt him.

No job, no family, no house (probably soon). What did she really have to lose?

She wiped her forehead down, determining the end.

Nicole pulled on her jacket and said a little prayer, just like Waverly had taught her.

 

\--

 

“Waverly!” She called, pounding on the door like Stanley Kowalski or a crazy person. Her voice was breaking on every sound, too tired to put up a fight. The house lights were on but no one had come to the door in the ten minutes she’d been making a scene. There was obviously someone home.

“Waverly, please!”

Several neighboring houses had shut their windows and probably called the police. Nicole couldn’t care anymore.

Finally, a window opened and she appeared, bathrobe wrapped furiously around her.

“I told you,” Waverly sounded tired, “you shouldn’t be here, Nicole.”

“Please let me in.” Nicole begged. “Just, five minutes, please.”

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea.” She started to close the window.

“Five minutes and you’ll never see me again. I swear.” Nicole shouted, anything to keep her from going away.

Waverly put her hand to her cheek, looking incredibly guilty. Champ wouldn’t be getting home until Monday night. He wouldn’t ever have to know.

“Five minutes.”

She shut the window.

Nicole rubbed her eyes and tried to smooth down her hair, she felt sweaty. The door opened a few moments later and Waverly stood, tapping her foot.

“You wanna wake up the whole neighborhood?” She said, trying to keep the edge in her voice alive. “And Winnie?”

“I’m sorry.” Nicole said, very quiet. “If I knew any other way, I would have-”

“Oh my God.” Waverly took two steps forward and put her hand to Nicole’s cheek. “What the hell happened to you?” Nicole pulled her hand down, shaking her head. “Nicole! Did somebody hurt you?”

“I started it, it was my fault.” She admitted. “I got fired.”

Waverly held a small gasp in her throat. Nicole hated the look in her eyes, so much pity.

“Get inside.” She pulled on Nicole’s shirt, yanking her through the doorway. “You need a shower.”

“We need to talk.” Nicole muttered, not completely in control of where she was going.

“Shower first. I’ll make you something warm.”

 

\--

 

Waverly’s shower was much nicer than her own, not that she was thinking about that. There were maybe ten various bottles of shampoos and conditioners lined up around the corner. Nicole opened each one, inhaling deep until she found the one Waverly favored.

She recognized the scent on the sixth bottle and, something flowery and a bit chemical.

When she got out, she pulled her old clothes back on, still smelling like grease. She looked over Waverly’s various makeup products, blushes and lipsticks and other things Nicole recognized from her own shared bathroom with Evelyn. A strange kind of nostalgia washed over her.

Waverly had a bowl of soup and a glass of whiskey ready at the kitchen table.

“To ease your pain?”

Nicole took it gladly and downed the drink.

“Mmm.” She wasn’t really hungry but couldn’t refuse Waverly’s hospitality. The soup was the best thing she’d tasted in awhile.

“How is it?” Waverly asked, a small smile coming over her at the sight of Nicole’s face.

“Great. It’s lovely.” Nicole swallowed and looked around, remembering her fear. “Where’s Champ?”

“Gone for the weekend. Business.” Waverly said. Nicole nodded, relief flooding through her. She could limit herself to one fight today.

The robe Waverly had on exposed the skin of her neck and Nicole could see dark splotches, reds and purples coming together in the worst way.

“Oh Jesus, Waverly.” She put out her hand and touched the afflicted area. Waverly flinched but didn’t push her hand away, letting Nicole feel the bruises. “Was this after we…?”

Waverly nodded and Nicole took a deep shuddering breath. “It looks worse than it is.” She said, very quiet, trying to ignore the way Nicole touched her skin with such reverence and pause. “He just doesn’t think sometimes. That’s all it is.”

“Don’t excuse him.” Nicole had rage boiling in her stomach, spilling into her mouth. “He’s a monster.”

“He’s…” Waverly couldn’t finish, unable to think of a better word. “He’s trying.”

“You deserve so much better than _trying_ , Waverly.” Nicole said, leaning in. “You deserve so much better than him.”

Waverly didn’t respond, the words settling in.

“It was my fault.” Nicole said, sitting back.

Waverly stared at her, confused.

“What?”

“He did that to you after seeing us dance together,” Nicole’s teeth were locked together, “It was my fault.”

Waverly couldn’t believe the words she was hearing. She stood slowly and moved to her side, wrapping her fingers around Nicole’s face and forcing her to look up.

“Listen to me.” Waverly’s words were breathy, “That isn’t true, you didn’t do anything to hurt me; that was Champ, not you.”

Nicole shook her loose, standing up and walking to the other side of the room. She stopped just short of the granite countertop. “If I had just controlled myself, I let things get carried away and-”

“So did I!” Waverly said forcefully, surprising herself. “And you know what? I’d do it again.”

Nicole’s gaze shot back to her, wide-eyed. “You would?”

“Of course.” Waverly smiled, overcome. “That was the nicest evening I’ve had in years.” Nicole stared and Waverly walked towards her, something shifting. “When you touch me, I just,” She paused, “I open up, my heart starts beating and my eyes get blurry and I feel sick and it’s like every stupid Hallmark card at once.” She stopped just short of Nicole, the distance between them feeling cavernous. “And, I kept thinking about how I’d never felt that way, not with Champ or anybody else. It’s so potent, like electricity.”

Nicole gaped at her, her palms wet.

“I thought it would be smart to cut off the head, you know?” Waverly continued, “I thought that if I stopped seeing you, things would get better, I’d _feel_ better.” She paused. “But it was only getting worse.” Nicole felt the gap growing smaller and smaller. “I’ve talked to God and I’ve talked to Champ and you and I’ve done so much fucking talking.” She wiped her eyes. “But you know what I haven’t done yet?”

Nicole shook her head but Waverly had already taken another step and then they were kissing, Waverly’s hand latching itself to the side of Nicole’s face and pressing them both against the counter. Nicole gasped into her lips, every bit as soft and lovely as they looked. Her hands shot down to the small of Waverly’s back, pulling her closer and tighter. Nicole’s mind was blank, every sensation overriding her system.

Waverly pulled back only slightly, not leaving Nicole’s arms.

“You feel so good.” She whispered, “Even better than what I thought.”

Nicole didn’t say anything at all, unable to speak. She felt like she must have slipped into another universe without noticing, that was the only feasible explanation for having Waverly Earp in her arms. Outside, the sky finally broke and rain began hitting the roof.

They connected again and Waverly pushed further, pressing her tongue into Nicole’s mouth. Little sounds and curses began floating from their lips. Waverly’s fingers were mussing up her hair, threading and trailing through sensitive areas. Nicole hands started wandering to her ass which made Waverly curse.

“Fuck, Nicole.” Her hands shook.

“Is this okay?” Nicole whispered.

“No.” Waverly replied, her voice sinking to a low place. “But please do it anyways.”

Nicole replied with a kiss to her neck, careful to avoid the bruising skin. She hadn’t done this before, hadn’t kissed a girl, hadn’t touched a girl like this. Sure, she’d imagined it, Christ, had she imagined what it’d be like, but ‘the real thing’ turned those fantasies to slush.

“Nicole.” Waverly whined in her ears, the sound pushing her overboard. She grabbed Waverly’s robe and pulled it off, letting the fabric drip to the floor.

She was very naked underneath.

“Oh my God.” Nicole looked up, “I thought you had on a nightgown or something, I’m s-sorry, oh Jesus.” She was trying hard not to stare, a task far easier said than done.

Waverly laughed and brought Nicole’s hands back to her sides.

“Don’t.” She said softly, “Don’t be so nice.”

Waverly went up on her tiptoes and captured Nicole’s lips, pressing her naked form in its entirety against the woman. Nicole let out a stunted sigh and tried to figure out what to do with her hands, letting them roam from skin to skin, taking in everything they could. They kissed and kissed and kissed.

“You need to get out of these.” Waverly tugged on the collar of Nicole’s shirt. “Now.”

Nicole nodded, pulling the tee over her head and balling it up. If only she’d chosen today to actually wear a nice bra.

Waverly did not seem to mind, her mouth falling open.

“Come with me.” She said, breathing heavy.

 

\--

 

Nicole didn’t really know what she was doing, then again neither did Waverly, so they both rolled around together, completely inexperienced and lovely. Nicole tried to focus on the noises she was hearing, noticing certain areas with good friction or chemistry. And when Waverly came, she straightened up like a rocket, eyes full of wonder.

“They won’t stop.” Waverly held up her hands, trembling with joy.

Nicole kissed both of them and Waverly pushed her down into the comforter, ready to take her own shot. Nicole saw blinding white as soon as the smaller woman started, letting out sounds she didn’t know she was capable of. Waverly came alongside her, unable to stop herself a second time.

Their breath and sweat mixed and the rain was unrelenting, unforgiving.

 

\--

 

Around two, Nicole woke up and realized Winnie was crying; the sound came over the baby monitor in faint bursts. She looked at Waverly, completely dead to the world, and decided she should probably do something.

She pulled on the robe from earlier and inhaled deeply, savoring the fragrance.

 

\--

 

“Hey, kid.” Nicole lifted the baby out of the crib and started bobbing her the way she knew worked now. “What’s the problem?”

Winnie said nothing and threw up on the robe’s shoulder.

“Ah shit.” Nicole laughed, “Your mom’s gonna kill me, this feels expensive.”

“It’s not.” Waverly’s voice came from the doorway and Nicole spun. She was leaning on the frame, large t-shirt pulled on haphazardly.

“I thought you were sleeping.” Nicole said, blushing at the sight.

Waverly walked towards her and kissed her cheek, then her lips. “I woke up.”

“Mama.” Winnie said loudly. Nicole obliged and handed the little girl over. Waverly took her into her arms and started pacing back and forth.

“She’s scared of the thunder.” Waverly smiled at Nicole who was still enraptured, by the sight before her and the memories of a few hours earlier.  “It’s okay, baby.” She whispered, “It’s okay.”

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> love for everybody!!! gay girls in the face of horribleness!! please please stay safe you guys. 
> 
> comment/leave kudos if you enjoyed!


	4. two hearts are better than one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aha! we’re back.
> 
> so so sorry for the long wait on this. writer’s block and college applications are truly a bitch. i hope the fair amount of levity and fluffy stuff in this chapter will make up for it. enjoy!

\--

 

Nicole couldn’t fall back asleep and when she did, her dreaming was fragmented and uncomfortable. More than once she found herself gasping out of a nightmare, only to feel Waverly’s body pressed against her own and shed her tension. Waverly didn’t wake up again after putting Winnie to bed; she slept like a baby.

Nicole was so aware of how naked she was and how naked Waverly was and how they both were just lying there, naked. She would move her fingers through the blonde hairs on Waverly’s arm, little unconscious goosebumps rising out the smooth. Her body might have known Nicole was there, but Waverly kept on sleeping, letting out sweet little words and sounds. Nicole would have tried to interpret if she wasn’t so awestruck by the situation she was in.

She’d kissed a woman. She’d had sex with a woman. A beautiful, smart, sad woman who hadn’t run off afterwards, neither embarrassed nor ashamed.

Nicole remembered seeing a group of young butch ladies invade a diner one December afternoon, maybe nine or ten years ago. Her dad was out of town so it was just her, Evelyn and their mother.  Nicole was destroying a grilled cheese, dunking it in too much ketchup. Her mother was fussing as usual. She could still see the harsh reaction ripple through the patrons as the women came through the doorway, bundled in scarves, their hair short and gelled. Her mother’s mouth curled downwards and her eyes flicked back and forth between her daughters and the assailants.

Nicole looked up from her fries and stared at every one of them, her eyes squinting as she tried to make sense of the images. Evelyn picked up on mom’s disgust and let out a sound. One of the women turned and laughed, unimpressed by their disapproval. Nicole wanted to stand and shout and ask if she could join their table. Nicole also didn’t want to get slapped six ways from Sunday, so she kept her mouth busy, stuffing it full of fried food.   

Later that night, Nicole heard her dad come stumbling through the door, probably smelling of perfume and wondered where she could get her hands on trousers like those.

Waverly slipped her hands around Nicole’s waist and pulled the distance between them shut, retrieving her from the strange, sad memory she’d thought herself into.

“I think the rain stopped.” Waverly whispered, her voice crackling with sleep.

Nicole nodded against her forehead. “I think so.”

 

\--

 

At ten, they both woke to the sound of the doorbell. It rang several times in a row, each ‘ding-dong’ sounding more irritated than the last.

Waverly sat straight up, eyes like dinner plates.

“Oh no.”

Nicole sniffed and rubbed her neck, she must have slept on it funny. “Waverly?”

Waverly was already getting out of bed, pulling on a top that hid the bruises and a robe (Nicole flushed thinking about that fucking robe). “Is it already ten?” She looked at the clock on her armoire. “It’s already ten.” She put her face in her hands. “Great. Great! They’re probably starving and pissed, and _I’m_ the one who suggested breakfast and- Ugh!” She spun around the room, pulling her hair up into a bun and trying shakily to rub off some of the loose eyeliner from the night before.

Nicole coughed and Waverly’s eyes shot up, locking in on the woman in her bed. Her jaw slacked.

“You.”

Nicole squirmed.

“Me?”

“What am I gonna do with you?” Waverly’s voice was high and rising, she seemed to break an octave with every word. “My sister’s here for breakfast, with her husband.”

Nicole swallowed, pulling herself out of the warm sheets and dropping her feet onto the ground. “Fuck. What do we do?”

Waverly’s eyes drifted down to Nicole’s still very naked form, her breasts hanging out and spotted with evidence. She took a deep breath.

“First off.” She took a step towards Nicole. “You need to get some clothes on.” They made contact. Waverly’s hands slid over Nicole’s neck and shoulders causing her to choke out a stuttered breath. “Otherwise, I don’t think I can control myself.” Waverly’s eyes were serious but still thick with arousal from the night before.

Nicole bit her lip, holding back a smile. “Well, to tell the truth ma’am, I kinda liked you out of control.”

Waverly lowered her brows, playing angry.

“Don’t call me ma’am, Nicole. You’re older than me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Waverly kissed Nicole, shutting her up. She wasn’t used to kissing girls, or kissing anyone besides Champ for that matter. Her only boyfriend had become her only husband and her only real life contact besides Wynonna and maybe Winnie if you counted an eighteen-month-old. Her overbearing sense of morality was screaming at her to stop, to claim she was drunk, to say she hadn’t wanted it, to say Nicole forced herself on her, anything to save her soul. But those claims were so divorced from reality, so bizarre and laughable that she couldn’t get the words out of her throat. She had wanted Nicole with such visceral feeling that she’d frightened herself, heaven knows what Nicole thought of her now.

Nicole couldn’t think about anything besides Waverly’s lips on hers, Waverly’s hands dancing back to her breasts the way they did last night, her own fingers finding root in the small of the tiny woman’s back. There were moments that violently tried to force her to believe in God, and this was one of them.

The doorbell rang again.

Their lips parted and Waverly said a four-letter-word in a tiny voice which made Nicole laugh.

“You’re cute when you’re being bad.” Nicole didn’t unwrap herself.

Waverly smiled, full of guilt. “That must be why you like me so much.”

That and a thousand other things, Waverly Earp.

“Put these on.” Waverly moved back to the dresser and tossed Nicole a t-shirt and bundled up pair of flannel pants. “I’m gonna get the door, just stay in here and I’ll try to get them out of here in an hour or so.”

Nicole took the items, rubbing her fingers on the soft material.

“How do I look?” Waverly stood at the doorway, trying to brush out a few of the many tangles in her hair. She was flushed and not very put together and somehow, terribly beautiful.

Nicole smiled, her heart stolen all over again.

“Like an angel.”

Waverly laughed and told Nicole to shut up and raced downstairs to fix the morning.

 

\--

 

Wynonna Earp was burning up. Somehow it was already 83 degrees out, the rain evaporating off the sidewalk in the glare of the sun. Doc didn’t seem to mind the heat, refusing to take off that ridiculous hat.

“You look like a village person.”

Doc rolled his eyes.

Waverly opened the door after several minutes of continuous bell-ringing with on and off knocking. She looked awful, barely recognizable without a neat little dress and picture-perfect makeup on. Her eyes were puffy and her hair was a mess.

However, there was also a kind of light emanating from Wynonna’s baby sister. Her skin was glowing and her breath was short. Wynonna knew that look all too well. It was the kind of look that only came from mindblowing sex.

“Overslept?” She asked, face caught between a smirk and a glare.

Waverly laughed a little too hard.

“We lost power last night.” She said, gesticulating wildly. “Dang thunderstorms, huh? My alarm didn’t turn back on.”

Wynonna and Doc exchanged glances.

“We?” Wynonna asked.

“Uhm, Winnie and I.”

“Ah.”

Waverly smiled, not put off. “I hope you two don’t mind waiting a couple minutes! I’m already frying up some bacon.” She pushed the door open wider and dashed back into the house, humming in a sad attempt to be inconspicuous. Waverly Earp was many things, but hard to read was not one of them.

The couple exhaled simultaneously.

“You did say Champ had left town for the weekend, didn’t you?” Doc asked, stepping through the doorway and sniffling. He’d been fighting a summer flu since June.

“That’s what Waverly told me,” Wynonna said, staring after her sister. “but I’ll be damned if that’s not some afterglow she’s got going on.”

Doc grinned. “You read my mind.”

Wynonna nodded, taking a step towards her husband.

“Don’t call her out. If she’s having an affair; good. Anyone’s better than that dickhead wiseguy.”

Doc raised his arms, feigning innocence. “I would never.” Wynonna gave him a hairy eyeball and began walking away. “Although you must admit,” He continued, stopping Wynonna in her tracks, “it makes her sermonizing about our own marriage less tolerable.” He smoothed his mustache. “I don’t see how it’s fair for _her_ to sleep around while morally condemning us for doing the same thing.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes.

“Catholics always find ways to excuse their own sinning; it’s a _cardinal_ rule of the church.” She explained, following her nose towards the warm smell of bacon grease coming from the kitchen.

Doc chuckled, trailing behind her. “I see what you did there.”

 

\--

 

Nicole tapped her fingers on the (tasteful) bedside table. She was antsy, hearing small sounds through the floor but unable to make any words out.

She walked towards the large vanity, checking out her injuries, still swollen. In the bliss of last night, she had forgotten about the world falling apart around her. She was out of a job, probably concussed and had nearly killed Bobo Del Rey whose connections, worst of all, seemed to lead right to Champ Hardy himself.

It was a big fuckin’ mess.

Nicole bunched her shirt up at the collar and pressed it to her nose, inhaling deep. Waverly’s perfume was soaked into the fabric. She hoped she wouldn’t have to give it back.

A loud crashing came up through the carpeted floor and Nicole snapped back to attention.

All was quiet again. Nicole swallowed. She should just stay where she is, like Waverly asked. It’s probably nothing, maybe somebody dropped a plate or tipped over a chair. Whatever it was, Waverly could handle it.

Nicole sighed, she was acting jumpier than a damn gazelle.

She sat back down on the bed, running a hand through her hair. She smelled like sex. It might be wise to take another shower. Not that she minded, the shower was warm and reminded her of Waverly, plus she was out of shampoo back at the apartment and it might be wise to get as many uses as possible while she was still here.

The streams of water brought her back to a few hours earlier; the rain and the noise; her wet hair. Even with everything else on her mind, Nicole really just wanted to see Waverly again. The steam and her thoughts swirled together, Nicole’s whole body threatened to shake at her memories of the night before. She felt her fingers twitch. Nicole looked straight into the jet of hot water and rubbed her eyes clean of sleep. She noticed that the shower handle was removable and smiled, a good idea coming to her.

Now _that_ was a pleasant occupation while waiting.

 

\--

 

“Don’t worry about it, really." Waverly was on her knees, picking up the pieces of a shattered jar. Blotches of raspberry now decorated the floor. “Believe me, I get worse with this little maniac every day.”

Doc kept apologizing, wetting a dish cloth and trying to clean the mess he’d made. “It’s these damn caps, I swear-”

Waverly coughed and gestured to Winnie, annoyance freckling her face. Doc quickly corrected himself.

“-Sorry, these darn caps. They slip off faster than a whore at sunrise.”

Waverly sighed. “Not better, Doc.”

Meanwhile the older Earp was keeping herself distracted with Winnie, the little one still blubbering after the crash. Wynonna wasn’t much of a mother but she liked Winnie very much; only because she clearly had more Earp in her than Hardy.

“Come on, you brat.” Wynonna grimaced, holding onto her niece's tiny hands. “It’s just jelly.”

“She hates loud noises.” Waverly said and then muttered under her breath, “Which is funny because she makes them constantly.”

“I think she gets that from her mama.” Wynonna said, tussling Winnie’s feathery hair. “I bet last night was fun, huh?”

Waverly flushed.

“W- what?” She said, her voice high.

Doc looked up from his mess, tracking the scene with renewed interest. Wynonna paused.

“Bet she was a joy last night” Wynonna repeated, slowly. Waverly twitched and her sister continued, swallowing a bite of toast. “You know, with the storms? Must have been hard with Winnie, right? Loud noises? Am I crazy here?”

“Oh!” Waverly laughed awkwardly, breaking from the spell and dropping the fistful of sticky glass into an open trash can with a clang. “Right. No, she was okay.” She quickly mumbled, “She woke up around two, but otherwise, golden.”

Wynonna eyed her sister. “Uh huh.”

Doc stood and returned to his eggs, stuffing a forkful in his mouth to change the subject.

“I don’t know why we don’t stop by for breakfast more often.” He said, drawing out a smile. “These are delicious, Waverly.”

Waverly beamed, happy to move on.

Wynonna rolled her eyes, completely immune to her husband’s charms, earnest or not. “It is significantly more pleasant when the uncredible hulk isn’t around.” She said without turning from the little blonde in the highchair. “He’s always breathing down my neck when we come over, I swear to God.”

Waverly opened her mouth to defend Champ, like she usually did, but then shut it, returning half-heartedly to her sticky hands which she stuck under a faucet. Wynonna stole another look at Doc, gathering more evidence for their theory. Doc nodded slightly, as not to alert anyone who might be paying attention.

“So…” She said slowly, “How _are_ you and Champ?”

Waverly’s paused, her hands ghosting over the purple skin through the fabric of her t-shirt.

“Uh…” Waverly didn’t like lying to her sister. “We’re okay.” She still did occasionally.

Wynonna squinted.

“I mean,” Waverly paused, her mind tracing back to the woman she had upstairs. Dear God if Wynonna knew about Nicole. “Same as ever, you know?”

“Same as ever?” Wynonna snorted, “Doesn’t sound too ‘okay’ to me.”

“Wynonna.” Waverly cut in, unenthusiastic. Her sister sighed.

“I mean… glad to hear it.” Wynonna murmured.

Doc took another sip of coffee, the morning was turning out far more interesting than he could have hoped. Waverly was a sweet girl, smart too, but had never provided _such_ a mystery before. The biggest puzzle about the youngest Earp was typically how she put up with such a controlling asshat. Doc had been trying to solve that one to no avail ever since the two got together and it appeared to be a dead-end. He had married Wynonna back when she was just out of high school, the heir apparent to a local auto-repair shop which his father had bought when he was just a little kid, moving them from Wyoming to Jersey on a whim. The two had met at a shitty dive bar and fallen in spiteful love. Doc liked her spark and her cruelty, Wynonna liked his stupid accent and flair for explosives and getaway cars. He took to her fast and hard, knowing that if either one of them was ever to get married, it could only be to each other.

The pair also did occasional bounty work for several districts near Newark which sometimes clashed with Champ’s party of powerful scumbags. Not that they were very superior, but at least they didn’t kill folks. It would not, however, have taken much for Wynonna to dislike the asshole who knocked up her ultra-Catholic baby sister. She was just seventeen when he came calling around their aunt’s house, meanwhile Champ himself had dropped out of high school several years earlier, already doing little jobs for some locals whose business practices was less than savory.

One thing led to another pretty fast in this town.

Wynonna let out a loud sigh, she was just about ready to attack Champ whenever the opportunity presented itself. She wasn’t being mean (though Wynonna was more than a little skilled at meanness), she was just protective of what was hers. And Waverly was one of the few blood relations she had left.

“I just don’t get why you keep with that jackass, honestly Waverly. Everyone we know can see you’re better than-”

The microwave went off and Waverly moved away from her sister, pulling out the bottle of formula. Doc saw a chance to investigate.

“Like I said, everyone can see you’re smarter than a dozen Champ Hardy’s-”

“Miss Earp, I believe I’ve forgotten the exact layout of your lovely homestead since last I was here.” Wynonna bit her tongue, slumping into another sip of black coffee. “If you’d kindly direct me to the necessities.” Doc stood, hand slipping onto his belt. Waverly nodded, distracted by Wynonna’s baiting and Winnie’s grabby hands and the formula being just _slightly_ too hot.

“Up the stairs, down the hall and it’s the door at the end.”

He tipped his hat like an idiot. “Much obliged.” And left the sisters alone, continuing the argument Wynonna was itching to start. As soon as he got up the stairs, Doc could hear water running.

He stopped dead in his tracks. Someone must be taking a shower.  

“My oh my.” He grinned to himself, “Mrs. Waverly Earp, I have never been so proud.”

Doc continued up the stairs and followed the sound. It was definitely coming from the the master bedroom. A wicked plan came into his mind.

“Why not welcome this fine gentlemen to family?” He said, impressing nobody but himself.

 

\--

 

Nicole was trying to stay quiet, she really was, but the task was proving more difficult than she had anticipated. The stream of water between her thighs was far more powerful than the shitty piping she had back home and her own mind was flooded with snapshots from the night before. She could picture Waverly, stark naked in her own kitchen, kissing Nicole on her her own bed, the two of them wrapped up in each other, little shocks of sensation being set off by the slightest movement. Her cuts and bruises seemed to hurt less.

Masturbation wasn’t something that Nicole was overly fond of; the images she would bring up were better at making her feel loneliness than pleasure. Now, however, the experience was totally different.

A low moan escaped her throat and she felt herself getting closer. She pushed further and further, back pressed against the cold tile of the wall.

“Well, well, well.”

Nicole’s eyes shot open.

A man’s voice was coming from just beyond the fogged-up glass door.

Shit-and-a-half.

He chuckled. “I have to tell you, if you don’t want a certain Mr. Hardy finding out about all this; you might want to be a little more delicate.” Nicole could make out a smudged form standing in the bathroom doorway, nothing more than an outline but still clearly a man. “Believe me, he is less friendly than he appears and...” The voice paused, “He don’t look all that friendly.”

Nicole dropped the showerhead to her side, trying to keep silent. Her heart was going a million miles an hour in her chest.

An uneasy quiet rested between them. The man stood waiting for a response before letting out a sigh. “Come on now, sir.” He had a smile in his throat. “I have no quandary with what you’re doing with my… lovely sister-in-law, nor could I without risk of hypocrisy!”

Nicole swallowed. He was Waverly’s sister’s husband. Lovely.

“After all,” The husband continued “While it’s well known that Mrs. Earp and her husband are not paragons of _godliness_ , not after that baby arrived no more than five months after marriage.” He knocked on the glass door making Nicole jump. “Neither are my wife and I!” He let out a laugh. “Everyone sins, my friend, the only difference between Waverly and her sister is how guilty they feel afterwards.”

“ _Don’t_ talk about her like that.” Nicole hissed, mentally slapping herself on the forehead.

He fell silent for a moment, the only noise coming from the still running water hitting porcelain.

“A woman?” He said, mainly to himself.

Nicole stayed silent.

“Well, that is less interesting.” He harrumphed.

Doc pulled the door shut, scratching at his chin like it would help him work out the situation.

He was not a man who thought of himself as easily fooled but here he was, looking dumb as a sack of bricks.

“My apologies, miss.” He called through the door, “I…” He couldn’t find easy words to rectify his actions. “Well, clearly I misinterpreted the situation.”

The water turned off and Doc heard slippery footsteps move towards the door. It cracked open.

“There’s uh,” The woman muttered, “there’s a pile of clothes there on the bed, could you hand it over?”

Doc quickly retrieved the items and tried to explain himself, taking a better look at the stranger’s face. “Waverly didn’t tell us she had any guests over.” Doc said, wrinkling his mustache into a charming smile, “Looks like I assumed the worst.”

The woman was quite nearly as tall as him, her hair short and messy. She certainly didn’t seem like the type you wanted to piss off and Doc had already done exactly that. “I’m John Henry, but,” He said, “most folks call me Doc.”

She glared at him and shut the door in his face. Doc sniffed and backed up a few steps.

Damn.

After a few moments she appeared again, fully clothed and her hair slicked back.

“Nicole Haught.” She started, “And the next time you walk in on me naked, I’ll put your lights out, swear to God.”

“Understood.” He grinned. “Won’t happen again, miss.”

Nicole stepped out of the room slowly, analyzing the man in front of her.

“I, uh, I’m a friend of Waverly’s.” She was cautious, protecting herself with every step she took. “She let me stay here last night.”

Doc’s eyebrows raised.

“Well, not _here_ here.” Nicole clarified, “Down the hall, in the guest room, that is. Not in here.” She gestured to the bed, cringing at the less-than-subtle articles of clothing flung around.

“Mm-hmm.” Doc answered.

“Sorry to disappoint.” Nicole added, which made him laugh. She smiled back at him, gaining more confidence.

“Sorry indeed.” Doc repeated, sticking out his hand. “I’d hate to think we’ve met on less than amicable terms. Any friend of Waverly’s is a friend of mine.” Nicole took a step towards him and shook the stranger’s hand.

“Likewise.”

Doc grinned.

“You care to join us for breakfast?” He continued, gesturing to the bedroom door. “Your friend does make a fine plate of eggs.”

Nicole coughed. “I’m not sure that’s a great idea.” She said, guilty words rushing out of her. Nicole could just imagine Waverly’s face. The hundred shades of panic that would run through her before she would even get to opening her mouth. “It’s family stuff, isn’t it?”

“It’s no bother.” Doc said, “We best go save them from one another before they burn the kitchen down. I don’t know if you ever seen those Earp sisters together, but boy, do they know how to fight.”

Nicole rubbed her nose. “I’m sure.”

As they exited the bedroom and traveled down the short hallway, Doc couldn’t help but notice the pristine state of the guest bedroom, the sheets and pillows all perfectly fluffed and laid out, looking like no one had so much as touched them last night.

 

\--

 

“Well, he’s  _not_ your husband, Wynonna!” Waverly was seated now, her hands on her forehead. Winnie was intently focused on some cheerios. “I don’t want to argue about this right now.”

“Listen,” Wynonna took another sip from her cup, “I don’t want to make you upset, Waves, but I know we both know what’s going on here.” She leaned in closer. “And what happened last night…”

Waverly gave her sister a wide-eyed look that she saw right through.

“What do you mean?” She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

“What I mean is I’m not stupid.” Wynonna smiled, “Believe it or not, I actually know a thing or two about my baby sister.” Waverly scoffed. “Come on, I can read you like a book. I know when you’re feeling good, bad, lonely…” Wynonna winked, “ _Not_ _so lonely_.”

Waverly’s mouth fell open.

“It’s written all over your face, babygirl.”

Waverly brought her gaze back to Wynonna, trying to seem offended and not at all guilty.

“What exactly is written all over my face?” She said, indignant.

“You at least gotta tell me his name.” Wynonna continued, “Considering your taste in men, I should let you know if you’re on the right track although literally anybody would be an improvement over Champ the chump.”

“I don’t-!” Waverly tried to cut in but her sister forged ahead.

“It’s the least you could do, Waves.” Wynonna put her arms up, “Especially if this guy is gonna become a recurring character in our lives and- Wait!” She stood suddenly.

Waverly followed her. “What?”

Wynonna turned slowly, grinning like a maniac.

“Is he still _here_?”

The blood drained from Waverly’s face.

“Oh my God, he is!” Wynonna was giddy. “Overslept my ass!”

Winnie started laughing too, mirroring her aunt.

“Wynonna! Stop!” Waverly’s voice was trying to stay calm but tipping over the edge. “No one is here!”

“Oh Jesus, am I proud of you.” Wynonna wrapped her arms around her sister, “What a little me you’ve turned out to be!” Wynonna stopped momentarily, stuck on a thought. “I think that’s a compliment.”

“Just because you and Doc feel alright to mess around…”

Wynonna groaned. “Here we go again.”

“Well! Just because you two don’t have an issue with that doesn’t mean _I_ don’t!”

“Waverly, honey, you’re an Earp.” Wynonna slapped her sister’s backside who let a horrified yelp. “Earps and the law, any kind of law, don’t do so well together.”

“No!” Waverly pulled herself free. “Listen, Wynonna, I know you think you’re some kind of detective but there is _no one_ in this house and there hasn’t been all night. There is no one in my life outside of Champ. It’s just you, me, Winnie and Doc. That’s it.”

A booming voice came from behind them as Doc pushed open the kitchen door, dragging Nicole in tow.

“Well, look who I found upstairs.”

The Earp sisters spun, their eyes latching on the ginger stranger. Nicole gave Waverly a sorry smile.

“Nicole?” Waverly whispered sadly.

“Na-gol!” Winnie said, pointing.

“Nicole?” Wynonna said, clearly lost. “Who the hell’s Nicole?”

Nicole opened her mouth but Doc stepped in and answered for her.

“Our guest, who has made up her mind to join us for breakfast.” He said, pulling out a fourth chair. “At my insistence, I must add.”

Wynonna looked at Nicole, then at her sister, then back to Nicole. Waverly could see the gears starting to turn in her head.

“A girl…” She muttered slowly.

Waverly coughed loudly. Nicole had a death grip on the doorknob.

Wynonna turned to face her husband. “Shit, we might’ve screwed the pooch on that one.”

 

\--

 

“So, there I am, down to my last ten big-ones and hammered like a six-inch-nail,” Wynonna made Nicole cackle all over again with Waverly rolling her eyes, “in comes the Lone Ranger over here. And he takes me up on the bet, on the condition that if he wins, he gets to drive me home.”

“I did indeed and I  _won_.” Doc chimed in, grinning and wiping coffee from his mustache. “Either the finest or the poorest wager I’ve ever taken. I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

“Oh, don’t lie.” Wynonna fought back, running her hands down her body, “Are you saying you’d trade all this in for a sparser model, John Wayne?”

Nicole stole a glance at Waverly. She had a half smile on, wiping Winnie’s mouth with a wet cloth. Her eyes moved and caught Nicole in the act, causing her to swing her gaze back suddenly, attempting to be inconspicuous. Waverly laughed, raising her eyebrows.

Suddenly everything felt so normal.

“Clearly married life isn’t for everyone.” Wynonna said, turning away from her husband. “Huh Nicole?”

“Me?” Nicole answered cooly. She expected the subject to arise, it usually did. “I’m with you on that one; not my way.”

Wynonna thumped her on the back, causing Nicole to spit a crust of bread back onto her plate. “Here’s a woman who knows how to live!” She raised her cup, toasting the redhead. Nicole smiled back; her mission to remain an old maid had certainly never elicited that kind of response before. Not from her mother or sister and certainly not from the nosey jerks at work or even strangers on the street. It seemed like everyone and the kitchen sink had hard opinions on Nicole’s life choices, everyone but Wynonna Earp. “Good for you, kid, may you live to never regret it.”

“Thanks.” She clinked her mug into Wynonna’s and took a sip. Lowering the edge, she could see a twisted expression on Waverly’s face; something too difficult to parse out before it had disappeared. Nicole frowned.

Something was still eating at her.

“Why I got married, I’ll never know.”  Wynonna continued, unaware of the heated tension shooting across the table.

“That’s why I make it my duty to remind you every so often.” Doc said, his voice lowered.

Waverly made a face. “Gross.”

“So, with no husband to support you…” Doc redirected his line of questioning towards Nicole, “What do you do for work, Ms. Haught? Model off that pretty face?”  

Waverly crossed her arms over her chest, a sour taste in her eyes. Nicole snorted, taking note of the rapidfire change in the tiny brunette who let out a small huff.

Jesus, Nicole thought, was Waverly actually jealous?

“I’d hope not.” Wynonna cut in, “Else you’d be _fucked_ showing up for work on Monday with all that.” She gestured the various cuts and bruises still ornamenting Nicole’s face.

“Wynonna!” Waverly clasped her hands over Winnie’s tiny ears.

“Sorry! Sorry! But you gotta admit that’s some gnarly stuff.”

Nicole grimaced, letting Wynonna’s lack of filter roll off her.

“Nah, I don’t have the coke habit for it.” Nicole shrugged, getting another laugh out of Wynonna who probably did have a coke habit. “I’m in construction.” She squinted before correcting herself. “I mean, I _was_ in construction, ‘til yesterday afternoon.”

Wynonna turned, suddenly genuine. “Shit, they fired you?”

Nicole nodded. Waverly leaned across the table and touched her hand. She felt the same warmth fill her, ten times as powerful as that damn shower head.

“They didn’t deserve you.” Waverly’s eyes were sparkling and Nicole swallowed.

So much for trying to be stealthy.

“I got in a fight.” Nicole continued, curling her fingers around Waverly’s hand. “Well, there’s this guy on our site, big as a tank, eats little kids for breakfast. Pretty much a huge asshole and- sorry, Waverly.” She apologized but Waverly shook her head, brushing it off.

“Wha-!” Wynonna protested, “How come _she_ doesn’t get yelled at.”

Waverly glared at her sister and motioned for Nicole to continue.

“Anyways, he was just messing with me like usual.” Nicole cleared her throat, “I’m the only chick on the crew so the guys can be pretty merciless. Usually I can just ignore it but…” She looked away from Waverly, unable to voice the obvious reason. “I guess they really got to me yesterday.”

“What’d you do?” Wynonna asked, on the edge of her seat.

“It wasn’t my best moment, I wish to God I’d kept my cool.” Nicole tried explaining before Wynonna cut her off.

“What did you do to him?” She repeated, slowly.

Nicole smiled sadly. “I hit him in the jaw with a wrench.”

The three members of the table sat back, visibly impressed. Doc rubbed his mustache, his eyes all lit up.

“Damn.” Waverly said quietly, maybe a little turned on.

“Damn” Winnie repeated. All four adults turned their heads. “Damn. Damn. Damn.”

“Oh no.” Waverly said, horrified. “Baby, don’t say that word! No!”

Wynonna burst out laughing. Winnie kept repeating herself, a huge smile on her face.

“Serves you right, Mrs. Overprotective. The kid’s gotta grow up sometime!”

Waverly spun back around to her sister. “She’s not even two!”

Wynonna put her arms up. “You said it, not me.”

Nicole and Doc looked at each other, hiding their grins. There was a kind of strange rhythm to the Earp sisters screaming at one another, maybe because they were both so good at it.

“Say, Nicole.” Doc said, “If you are looking for work, I might be able to help you out.”

Nicole sat up. “Really?”

“I own an auto shop not too far from here. It’s not some big operation but we’re always looking for more help. Wynonna and I, we work it together.” He smiled kindly. “Know anything about cars?”

Nicole’s eyes widened.

“I know something. My dad and I used to mess around with his old chevy back when I was a kid.” She answered, her stomach tightening. If she could luck back into a job this fast, she wouldn’t have to give up her apartment.

Doc grabbed a napkin from the center of the table and wrote down an address.

“Why don’t you come by tomorrow? Say around noon?” He handed her the folded paper, “Like I said, any friend of Waverly’s. And I think you might find a less vulgar discourse than what you’re used to.”

Nicole stared at the words on the page, as if memorizing them.

“I’ll be there.”

Doc’s eyes twinkled.

“Perfect.”

 

\--

 

They cleared out by one, Waverly and Wynonna having been unable to stop the baby from repeating her favorite new word. Though eventually even Waverly had started laughing at the cheeriness of her daughter’s delivery.

“So…” Nicole trailed off, slumping into a wooden chair. “Your sister’s interesting.”

Waverly smiled, “Try living with her.” She picked up a few of the plates from the table, bringing them over to the sink. Nicole sprang back up, following her lead. “You can’t imagine the look on my Aunt Gus’ face the first time she brought Doc Holiday over for dinner.”

“I bet I can’t.” Nicole started, grabbing the coffee cups. “Especially since I’ve never met your Aunt Gus.”

Waverly laughed, turning on the sink. “You’d like her- thanks.” She accepted the half-full mugs and turned them over, black funneling down the drain. “She’s pretty no-nonsense most of the time, but she’s pulled her fair share of Wynonna-worthy stunts.” Nicole brought over the cutlery and started popping them in the dishwasher.   

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, she pretty much raised us after our parents died.” Waverly didn’t let the thought darken her. “She’s tough as nails.”

Nicole nodded, sliding the bacon tongs into the knife slot with slight reservation. Waverly watched her and suddenly started giggling. Nicole stopped, wide-eyed.

“Oh, do these not go in here?” Nicole asked skittishly, “I’m sorry, I don’t have a dishwasher at my place”

She was cut off by Waverly leaning in and catching Nicole by the lips. She melted, the knots in her shoulders coming undone. “Gosh, do I make you nervous or something?” Waverly whispered, pulling apart for a second. Nicole couldn’t help but stare, still not quite ready to believe what was happening right in front of her.

“What were you laughing at?” Nicole asked, breathless.

Waverly giggled again. “I don’t know. Just, you, me, _us_ . Here in this kitchen, chatting away like… I don’t know, like all domestic and stuff.” She swallowed, maintaining her grin. “I guess I’m just used to all of this worry, about you, I mean. Non-stop worrying about how…” Nicole held onto her soapy hands. “How big my feelings are for you, and what that means about, well, who I am and all of that.” She pressed herself closer against Nicole, like she was trying to walk through her. “It’s nice to just _be_ with you.”

Nicole’s throat was dry.

“Yeah.” She said, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl. “Really nice.”

Waverly looked back up at her. “And it’s a really nice day out.”

Nicole nodded and Waverly kissed her, pressing their lips together in a much more calculated way, like she was mathematically planning the best way to the maintain maximum combined surface area at all times.  

“Do you… wanna go for a walk or something?”

Nicole smiled.

 

\--

 

Waverly came out of the bathroom with a lovely yellow dress, colored by little white dots which on a second look became embroidered roses. Her makeup was done almost perfectly, (she still wasn’t great at eyebrows) lending a ageless look to the young mother.

“Wow.” Nicole said, involuntarily. She suddenly felt nervous, looking down at her own sweaty clothes that she was wearing for the second day in a row. “I look like a schmuck.”

Waverly answered with a kiss, wrapping a different thin scarf around her neck. The marks were lighter, especially with applied base but the fine tuned eye could still make out the difference in skin-tone.

“Prettiest schmuck I know.” She said, landing a wet one on Nicole’s cheek for good measure. “Come on, help me pick out something sweet for Winnie to snack on.”

 

\--

 

It wasn’t that they meant to walk back there, it was just what happened. Waverly noticed first, tapping Nicole’s shoulder and gesturing over to the bench, better lit than the first time they sat there together. Winnie was already asleep in her stroller, lulled off by the hot day and soothing motion of the pavement. Everyone and their mother was out and about but the bench remained empty, like it was waiting for them.

“Oh.” Nicole laughed. “There she is.”

“I oughtta donate something to the city in honor of that thing.” Waverly muttered.

“It’s only fair.” Nicole took a step forward. “You wanna?”

They walked over together. Nicole was careful not to send too many looks her way, not to brush hands, not to look in any way suspicious. After all, they weren’t in Waverly’s kitchen now and a right move in the wrong location could ruin them both.

“It’s so bright.” Waverly said, shielding her eyes from the sparkling water as she sat down. Nicole chose the other side of the bench again, thinking it would be easier to stop herself from constantly inching closer. “Nicole.” Waverly said, watching her. “What are you doing?”

“I…” Nicole stopped, something in her throat. “I just don’t want to make anyone nervous.”

Waverly’s smile turned.

“Well, you’re making _me_ nervous, come here.”

Nicole looked into the shorter woman’s eyes and saw the same need that she was feeling. She nodded and slid over to Waverly, not touching, but better.

Waverly pulled out a ziploc baggy of apple slices.

“They’re for her.” She motioned to Winnie was a guilty smile. “But she _is_ sleeping.” She popped it open and handed a piece to Nicole who gladly accepted. The apples were a little too sweet for her liking but Waverly was offering so they tasted amazing.

“So prepared.” She teased. Waverly smiled in response, looking down.

“What can I say?” She traced a hand up and down her own leg. “Wynonna always said I was mothering her for her whole life, so when I had Winnie, she was at least glad I had someone else to concentrate the energy on.”

“That’s not hard to believe.”

Nicole felt herself getting too close and backed off again, putting a good twelve inches between them. Waverly sighed, tapping Nicole’s toe with her heel.

“I wish you wouldn’t.”

“I just want to play it safe.” Nicole said, hushed. “Being careful never hurt anybody.”

Waverly folded her arms. “I’m not sure about that.”

Nicole smiled, reminded of a similar position from breakfast.

“Did I happen to notice you getting a little jealous this morning?”

Waverly sat up straight, staring at Nicole with suspicious eyes. “What do you mean? Of course not!” She rushed out, clearly lying.

“Uh huh.” Nicole poked her shoulder. “So you weren’t getting pretty damn cross when Doc made that ‘modeling’ comment.”

Waverly deflated, her eyebrows lowered. “I just didn’t like the way he was looking at you, is all.” She admitted. “That man doesn’t know when to turn it off.”

“But he’s married!” Nicole protested, unable to keep herself from laughing. “To your sister!”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “They have, what you call, an ‘open marriage’” She put heavy air quotes around the foreign concept. “They’re not particularly beholden to one another.”

Nicole stared at Waverly, working through her expression.

“And you don’t like that?”

“Why should I?” Waverly exclaimed. “If you’re married, you should stay with the person you’re married to! It’s not hard!”

“Oh, like what _we’re_ doing?” Nicole asked sarcastically, playing up the joke.

Waverly’s eyes fell.

Nicole cursed internally, she could immediately see that she had gone too far.

“Hey, hey.” Nicole put her hand on Waverly’s, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you, it just, well, it seems a little odd to me.”

Waverly swallowed and looked back up.

“You make a girl feel like a bad Christian, y’know that?”

Nicole rubbed her neck. “I don’t try to.”

Waverly laughed, her expression brightening ever-so-slightly.

“Have you thought about…” Nicole trailed off, slightly fearful about broaching the subject. “Divorce?” Waverly froze. “I don’t mean to pressure you.” Nicole quickly continued. “I don’t even know what I’m saying, but Champ, well, he’s not good for you.”

She was silent a moment longer and Nicole turned her head away.

“I know.” Waverly said. “I know he’s not.”

Nicole nodded, a warmth bubbling inside her. That was the harshest thing she’d managed to get Waverly to say against her husband.

“But I don’t think I could leave him.” Waverly continued, “Heaven knows what he would do to me, to _you_.” She looked down at the stroller and her sunny, little girl. “To her.”

Nicole didn’t say anything.

“I’m sorry.” Waverly said at last. “I’m sorry.”

Nicole had a thousand things on her mind and couldn’t phrase any of them into proper English. She latched on tighter to Waverly’s hand, her eyes on the ground.

“I wish I could kiss you.”

Waverly smiled.

“Me too.”

Neither one of them in any way noticed the young man snapping photos from about a hundred yards away.

 

\--

 

Champ Hardy was trying to enjoy himself but found the task difficult. All he could think about was his wife and that bitch trying to ruin her. The prostitutes his constituents had hired didn’t interest him, not this time at least. Most of the other folks on retreat were hidden away inside, discussing urgent business.

“You’re sure there was no one there?” He asked into the phone again. He had told Eddie to drop by the house, just to check in on Waverly, make sure that she felt safe and comfortable, that she didn’t need any extra cash while he was gone.

And to make sure that bulldyke was nowhere in sight.

“Yeah, Mr. Hardy.” Eddie coughed up, “I waited around for an hour or so, knocked on the door and everything but no one was home. Guess she must have gone out somewhere.”

“Alright, thanks a lot, Eddie.” Champ hung up the phone, steaming in his poolside lounge chair. Where could she be? As soon as he put the phone down however, it started ringing again. Champ groaned, wiping loose sunscreen from his forehead.

“Yeah?”

“This is Champ Hardy speaking?” A low voice answered.

“It is. Who are you?”

“Bobo Del Rey. We’ve met a few times at the Valientes.”

Champ sat up suddenly. “Oh yeah, how are you, Del Rey?”

“Just fine, Hardy, just fine.” The voice was throaty, dense and uncomfortable. Champ did remember meeting the man, a construction worker who had done more than a few favors for the business over the years. Taking out troublemakers here and there, only when it was necessary. Bobo Del Rey was one of the most powerful men in his district. “But I’m calling to do you an unfortunate favor.”

“A favor?” Champ repeated. “What kind of favor?”

“You’re up at the meeting house in Massachusetts, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m faxing some photos over there, something you might want to take a look at.”

“Photos?”

“We’ll talk later.”

The line went dead. Champ felt a powerful unease growing in his stomach. What did this Bobo guy know about him?

By the time he saw the photos, he was twitching with nervousness and nearly threw up at the sight of his wife and that street rat holding each other’s goddamn hands like this was a perverted Sesame Street.

Champ crumpled up the page.

He’d start driving home tonight.

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun DUN. 
> 
> yes of course I gave Nicole a 'ring of keys' moment. the next chapter will not take a month, i pinky swear. please comment/kudos if you liked! it means the world.


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